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stave

5 synonyms and 0 antonyms for stave, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — One of the curved wooden strips fitted together to form the side of a barrel or cask.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

lag

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

rung stave in

How to use stave

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

stave off hunger stave off disaster stave in the hull

Etymology

A back-formation from "staves," the old plural of "staff."

Full origin of stave →

Frequently asked questions

What does “stave” mean?

The word “stave” means one of the curved wooden strips fitted together to form the side of a barrel or cask. In plain terms, most often seen today in the phrase "stave off" — to hold something unwanted at bay for a while.

How do you pronounce “stave”?

“Stave” is pronounced stayv (/steɪv/ in IPA).

How do you use “stave” in a sentence?

Here is “stave” used in a sentence: “The cooper replaced a cracked stave in the old wine barrel.”

What part of speech is “stave”?

Depending on how it is used, “stave” can be a noun and a verb.

How many meanings does “stave” have?

“Stave” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: one of the curved wooden strips fitted together to form the side of a barrel or cask.

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Synonyms and antonyms from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.