Illustration of composing stick
composing stick
noun
: a tray with an adjustable slide that a compositor holds in one hand and sets type into with the other
Examples of composing stick in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Typesetters were highly skilled workers who set by hand each individual letter of type upside-down and backwards on a composing stick, then placed them on the press.
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Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 5 Sep. 2021
Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 5 Sep. 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'composing stick.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1659, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near composing stick
Cite this Entry
“Composing stick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/composing%20stick. Accessed 5 Dec. 2023.
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