- on the distaff side
- old-fashioned
on the woman's side of a family
English dictionary. 2014.
on the distaff side
Look at other dictionaries:
on the distaff side — old fashioned phrase on the woman’s side of a family Thesaurus: describing or relating to relatednesshyponym Main entry: distaff * * * on the distaff side idiom ( … Useful english dictionary
distaff side — the female side of a family (opposed to spear side). [1885 90] * * * … Universalium
distaff side — the female side of a family (opposed to spear side). [1885 90] … Useful english dictionary
distaff side — dis′taff side n. sex the female side of a family • Etymology: 1885–90 … From formal English to slang
distaff side — /ˈdɪstaf saɪd/ (say distahf suyd) noun the female side of a family …
distaff side — noun the female or maternal branch of a family Ant: spear side … Wiktionary
Distaff — Queen Berthe instructing girls to spin flax on spindles using distaffs, Albert Anker, 1888 … Wikipedia
distaff — I. noun (plural distaffs) Etymology: Middle English distaf, from Old English distæf, from dis (akin to Middle Low German dise bunch of flax) + stæf staff Date: before 12th century 1. a. a staff for holding the flax, tow, or wool in spinning b.… … New Collegiate Dictionary
distaff — UK [ˈdɪstɑːf] / US [ˈdɪˌstæf] noun [countable] Word forms distaff : singular distaff plural distaffs a small stick used in the past for winding wool around when spinning • on the distaff side … English dictionary
distaff — [ dɪstα:f] noun 1》 a stick or spindle on to which wool or flax is wound for spinning. 2》 [as modifier] denoting or concerning women: a family tree on the distaff side. Compare with spear (in sense 3). Origin OE distæf: the first element is appar … English new terms dictionary
