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noun, plural staffs for 1–5, 9; staves
[steyvz] /steɪvz/ (Show IPA) or staffs for 6–8, 10, 11.
1.
a group of persons, as employees, charged with carrying out the work of an establishment or executing some undertaking.
2.
a group of assistants to a manager, superintendent, or executive.
3.
a member of a staff.
4.
Military.

a body of officers without command authority, appointed to assist a commanding officer.
the parts of any army concerned with administrative matters, planning, etc., rather than with actual participation in combat.

5.
those members of an organization serving only in an auxiliary or advisory capacity on a given project.
Compare line1 (def 38).
6.
a stick, pole, or rod for aid in walking or climbing, for use as a weapon, etc.
7.
a rod or wand serving as a symbol of office or authority, as a crozier, baton, truncheon, or mace.
8.
a pole on which a flag is hung or displayed.
9.
something that supports or sustains.
10.
Also, stave. Music. a set of horizontal lines, now five in number, with the corresponding four spaces between them, on which music is written.
11.
Archaic. the shaft of a spear, lance, etc.
adjective
12.
of or relating to a military or organizational staff:
a staff officer; staff meetings.
13.
(of a professional person) employed on the staff of a corporation, publication, institution, or the like rather than being self-employed or practicing privately:
a staff writer; staff physicians at the hospital.
verb (used with object)
14.
to provide with a staff of assistants or workers:
She staffed her office with excellent secretaries.
15.
to serve on the staff of.
16.
to send to a staff for study or further work (often followed by out):
The White House will staff out the recommendations before making a decision.
verb (used without object)
17.
to hire employees, as for a new office or project (sometimes followed by up):
Next month we’ll begin staffing up for the reelection campaign.
noun (pl) (for senses 1,3,4) staffs (pl) (for senses 5-9) staffs, staves (steɪvz)
1.
a group of people employed by a company, individual, etc, for executive, clerical, sales work, etc
2.
(modifier) attached to or provided for the staff of an establishment: a staff doctor
3.
the body of teachers or lecturers of an educational institution, as distinct from the students
4.
the officers appointed to assist a commander, service, or central headquarters organization in establishing policy, plans, etc
5.
a stick with some special use, such as a walking stick or an emblem of authority
6.
something that sustains or supports: bread is the staff of life
7.
a pole on which a flag is hung
8.
(mainly Brit) a graduated rod used in surveying, esp for sighting to with a levelling instrument Usual US name rod
9.
(music) Also called stave

the system of horizontal lines grouped into sets of five (four in the case of plainsong) upon which music is written. The spaces between them are also used, being employed in conjunction with a clef in order to give a graphic indication of pitch
any set of five lines in this system together with its clef: the treble staff

verb
10.
(transitive) to provide with a staff
noun
1.
(US) a mixture of plaster and hair used to cover the external surface of temporary structures and for decoration

staff (stāf)
n.

A specific group of workers.

See director.

v. staffed, staff·ing, staffs

To provide with a staff of workers or assistants.

To serve on the staff of.

stack up