'Distaff's Day' definitions:
Definition of 'Distaff's Day'
From: GCIDE
- Distaff \Dis"taff\, n.; pl. Distaffs, rarely Distaves. [OE. distaf, dysestafe, AS. distaef; cf. LG. diesse the bunch of flax on a distaff, and E. dizen. See Staff.]
- 1. The staff for holding a bunch of flax, tow, or wool, from which the thread is drawn in spinning by hand. [1913 Webster]
- I will the distaff hold; come thou and spin. --Fairfax. [1913 Webster]
- 2. Used as a symbol of the holder of a distaff; hence, a woman; women, collectively. [1913 Webster]
- His crown usurped, a distaff on the throne. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
- Some say the crozier, some say the distaff was too busy. --Howell. [1913 Webster]
- Note: The plural is regular, but Distaves occurs in Beaumont & Fletcher. [1913 Webster]
- Descent by distaff, descent on the mother's side.
- Distaff Day, or Distaff's Day, the morrow of the Epiphany, that is, January 7, because working at the distaff was then resumed, after the Christmas festival; -- called also Rock Day, a distaff being called a rock. --Shipley. [1913 Webster]