stave

1 of 2

noun

1
: any of the narrow strips of wood or narrow iron plates placed edge to edge to form the sides, covering, or lining of a vessel (such as a barrel) or structure
2
3
4

stave

2 of 2

verb

staved or stove ˈstōv How to pronounce stave (audio) ; staving

transitive verb

1
: to smash a hole in
stove in the boat
also : to crush or break inward
staved in several ribs
2
: to break in the staves of (a cask)
3
: to drive or thrust away

intransitive verb

1
: to walk or move rapidly
2
archaic : to become stove in
used of a boat or ship

Examples of stave in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
This comes on the heels of the relaunch of Maker’s Mark’s Wood Finishing Series, which arrived last June in the form of the Heart Release, a cask-strength bourbon finished with two different types of wood staves. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 17 Sep. 2024 This all-in-one formula washes away stubborn makeup, soothes and staves away redness, and employs antimicrobial protection to soften signs of maturing—hydrating all the while. Sarah Han, Allure, 16 Aug. 2024
Verb
Zimbabwe needs help from its international partners, as well as from neighboring countries and regional blocs, to stave of total economic collapse. Tendai Biti, Foreign Affairs, 20 Aug. 2019 To stave that off, one of the entities that own the site filed for bankruptcy. Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for stave 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stave.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, back-formation from staves, plural of staf staff

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

circa 1595, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of stave was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near stave

Cite this Entry

“Stave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stave. Accessed 15 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

stave

1 of 2 noun
1
: a wooden stick
2
: one of the narrow strips of wood or iron plates placed edge to edge to form the sides, covering, or lining of a vessel (as a barrel or cask) or structure
3
: stanza
4

stave

2 of 2 verb
staved or stove ˈstōv How to pronounce stave (audio) ; staving
1
: to break in the staves of (a cask)
2
: to smash a hole in
stave in a boat
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!