Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Whats a Distaff

So do you know what a distaff is?? Well I had no idea until Vinny had to answer a question about one in a poem he was reading. This is a distaff

As a noun, a distaff (pronounced /ˈdɪstɑːf/, also called a rock[1]) is a tool used in spinning. It is designed to hold the unspun fibers, keeping them untangled and thus easing the spinning process. It is most commonly used to hold flax, and sometimes wool, but can be used for any type of fiber. Fiber is wrapped around the distaff, and tied in place with a piece of ribbon or string. The word comes from dis in Low German, meaning a bunch of flax, connected with staff. As an adjective the term distaff is used to describe the female side of a family.

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Have a Blessed day.