noun

stave

stayv

Stave (noun) means one of the curved wooden strips fitted together to form the side of a barrel or cask. Example: “The cooper replaced a cracked stave in the old wine barrel.”

noun

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

"The cooper replaced a cracked stave in the old wine barrel."

A stanza of a poem or song; also the set of five lines music is written on.

"He sang the final stave of the ballad from memory."

verb

To break a hole in something, especially a barrel or boat hull ("stave in").

"The rocks staved in the side of the small dinghy."

To keep something away or delay it, especially in the phrase "stave off."

"Drinking water regularly can help stave off dehydration on a hike."

"The loan staved off bankruptcy for another year."

How to use stave

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishMost often seen today in the phrase "stave off" — to hold something unwanted at bay for a while.

Common pairings

stave off hunger stave off disaster stave in the hull

Word forms

staved past tense, stove past tense, stoven past tense, staves plural, Staves plural, staves singular

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “stave” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The cooper replaced a cracked _____ in the old wine barrel.

Etymology

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

Synonyms

View more →

round staff lag rung stave in

Related words

around shot round staff crew personnel spoke cycle

Rhymes for stave

ave gave save have wave cave nave pave rave fave Dave weave

See all rhymes for 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.

People also searched

around shot round staff crew personnel spoke cycle