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 Phrases. To put down (or set up) one's staff = to rest; to take up residence (Ray); to keep staff in hand = to retain possession; to part with one's staff = to get rid of one's substance; to argue from staff to corner = to raise a question other than that under 'discussion,' to draw a red herring across the trail; to have the better (or worse) end of the staff = to get the best (or worst) of a matter: see Stick.

1564. Udal, Apoph. Erasmus, 340. A rief thyng it is to see feloes enough of the self same suite, which as often as thei see theim selfes to haue the worse ende of the staffe in their cause, doen make their recourse wholly vnto furious brallyng.

1625-30. Court and Times, Chas. I., ii. 94. And so now ours seem to have the better end of the staff.

d.1655[?]. Adams, Works [Nichols, Puritan Divines, 1861-2], i. 185. If Cleanthes open his shop he shall have customers; many a traveller there sets down his staff.

d.1663. Bramhall, Works [Ang. Cath. Lib.], ii. 94. This is an argument from the staff to the corner. I speak of a succession of Holy Orders, and he of a succession of opinions.

1753. Richardson, Grandison, ii. 122. Miss Byron, I have had the better end of the staff, I believe?

1766. Brooke, Fool of Quality, i. 370. There are few men now at liberty near so wealthy as this gentleman who has done us the honour to set up his staff of rest in our house.

1773. Graves, Spiritual Quixote (1808), viii. x. As the evening now came on, and the two pilgrims were much fatigued they thought it best to set up their staff at the public-house where they had preached.

1782. Walpole, Letters, iv. 326. I did not think a wife was the stall where he would set up his staff.

Staff of Life, subs. phr. (common).—1. Bread.

English Synonyms (see also Grub). Melton (q.v.); penny-starver (= penny roll); soft-tack (or -tommy); tack; toke; tommy; pannum.

French Synonyms. Artic; arton; boule (prison: also boule de son); bissard (= brown bread); boucle zoze (thieves' = brown bread); bricheton; briffe; brignolet; bringue; bronté; cholet; graigaille; grignolet; gringue; gros Guillaume; lartif; lartie; larton; mousseline (= white bread); pierre dure.

2. See Staff.

Stafford Court. To be tried in Stafford Court, verb. phr. (old).—To be beaten or ill-treated. Hence Stafford law = violence, lynch law.

1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes, s.v. Braccesca licenza, as we say Stafford's law.

1599. Breton, Wil of Wit, 2, 'The Scholler and Souldier.' Among souldiers, Stafford law, martiall law, killing or hanging, is soon learned.

1611. Cotgrave, Dict., s.v. Il a este au festin de Martin baston, he hath had a triall in Stafford Court, Or hath received Jacke Drums intertainment.

1647. Miles Corbet, Speech [Harl. Misc., i. 273]. We have unlawfully erected marshall law, club law, Stafford law, and such lawless laws as make most for treason.

Staffordshire Knots (The), subs. phr. (military).—The 2nd Batt. of The South Staffordshire Regiment, formerly The 81st Foot. [The regimental badge is a knotted cable.]

Staff-striker, subs. phr. (old).—A sturdy beggar; a tramp.

Stag, subs. (old).—1. An informer; a snitch (q.v.): also stagger.