5  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Staple  \Sta"ple\,  n.  [AS.  stapul  stapol  stapel,  a  step,  a 
  prop,  post  table,  fr  stapan  to  step,  go  raise;  akin  to  D. 
  stapel  a  pile,  stocks,  emporium,  G.  stapela  heap,  mart, 
  stake,  staffel  step  of  a  ladder,  Sw  stapel,  Dan.  stabel,  and 
  E.  step  cf  OF  estaple  a  mart,  F.  ['e]tape.  See  {Step}.] 
  1.  A  settled  mart;  an  emporium;  a  city  or  town  to  which 
  merchants  brought  commodities  for  sale  or  exportation  in 
  bulk;  a  place  for  wholesale  traffic. 
 
  The  customs  of  Alexandria  were  very  great,  it  having 
  been  the  staple  of  the  Indian  trade  --Arbuthnot. 
 
  For  the  increase  of  trade  and  the  encouragement  of 
  the  worthy  burgesses  of  Woodstock,  her  majesty  was 
  minded  to  erect  the  town  into  a  staple  for  wool. 
  --Sir  W. 
  Scott. 
 
  Note:  In  England,  formerly,  the  king's  staple  was  established 
  in  certain  ports  or  towns,  and  certain  goods  could  not 
  be  exported  without  being  first  brought  to  these  places 
  to  be  rated  and  charged  with  the  duty  payable  of  the 
  king  or  the  public.  The  principal  commodities  on  which 
  customs  were  lived  were  wool,  skins,  and  leather;  and 
  these  were  originally  the  staple  commodities. 
 
  2.  Hence:  Place  of  supply;  source;  fountain  head. 
 
  Whitehall  naturally  became  the  chief  staple  of  news 
  Whenever  there  was  a  rumor  that  any  thing  important 
  had  happened  or  was  about  to  happen,  people  hastened 
  thither  to  obtain  intelligence  from  the  fountain 
  head.  --Macaulay. 
 
  3.  The  principal  commodity  of  traffic  in  a  market;  a 
  principal  commodity  or  production  of  a  country  or 
  district;  as  wheat,  maize,  and  cotton  are  great  staples 
  of  the  United  States. 
 
  We  should  now  say  Cotton  is  the  great  staple,  that 
  is  the  established  merchandize,  of  Manchester. 
  --Trench. 
 
  4.  The  principal  constituent  in  anything  chief  item. 
 
  5.  Unmanufactured  material;  raw  material. 
 
  6.  The  fiber  of  wool,  cotton,  flax,  or  the  like  as  a  coarse 
  staple;  a  fine  staple;  a  long  or  short  staple. 
 
  7.  A  loop  of  iron,  or  a  bar  or  wire,  bent  and  formed  with  two 
  points  to  be  driven  into  wood,  to  hold  a  hook,  pin,  or  the 
  like 
 
  8.  (Mining) 
  a  A  shaft,  smaller  and  shorter  than  the  principal  one 
  joining  different  levels. 
  b  A  small  pit. 
 
  9.  A  district  granted  to  an  abbey.  [Obs.]  --Camden. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Staple  \Sta"ple\,  a. 
  1.  Pertaining  to  or  being  market  of  staple  for  commodities; 
  as  a  staple  town.  [R.] 
 
  2.  Established  in  commerce;  occupying  the  markets;  settled; 
  as  a  staple  trade  --Dryden. 
 
  3.  Fit  to  be  sold;  marketable.  [R.]  --Swift. 
 
  4.  Regularly  produced  or  manufactured  in  large  quantities; 
  belonging  to  wholesale  traffic;  principal;  chief. 
 
  Wool,  the  great  staple  commodity  of  England. 
  --H???om. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Staple  \Sta"ple\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {stapled};  p.  pr  &  vb  n. 
  {stapling}.] 
  To  sort  according  to  its  staple;  as  to  staple  cotton. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  staple 
  adj  :  necessary  foods  or  commodities;  "wheat  is  a  staple  crop" 
  n  1:  (usually  plural)  a  necessary  commodity  for  which  demand  is 
  constant  [syn:  {basic}] 
  2:  material  suitable  for  manufacture  or  use  or  finishing  [syn: 
  {raw  material}] 
  3:  a  short  U-shaped  wire  nail  for  securing  cables 
  4:  a  short  length  of  U-shaped  wire  used  to  fasten  papers 
  together 
  v  :  secure  or  fasten  with  a  staple;  "staple  the  papers  together" 
  [ant:  {unstaple}] 
 
  From  The  Free  On-line  Dictionary  of  Computing  (13  Mar  01)  [foldoc]: 
 
  Staple 
 
  Saint  Andrews  Applicative  Persistent  Language.  Language 
  combining  functional  programming  with  persistent  storage, 
  developed  at  St  Andrews  University  in  Scotland.  Tony  Davie, 
  . 
 
 

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