Definitions
1.nounA town containing merchants who have exclusive right, under royal authority, to purchase or produce certain goods for export; also, the body of such merchants seen as a group.
2.noun(by extension) Place of supply; source.
3.nounThe principal commodity produced in a town or region.
4.nounA basic or essential supply."Rice is a staple in the diet of many cultures."
5.nounA recurring topic or character.
6.nounShort fiber, as of cotton, sheep’s wool, or the like, which can be spun into yarn or thread.
7.nounUnmanufactured material; raw material.
8.verbTo sort according to its staple."to staple cotton"
9.nounA wire fastener used to secure stacks of paper by penetrating all the sheets and curling around.
10.nounA wire fastener used to secure something else by penetrating and curling."Can you believe they use staples to hold cars together these days?"
11.nounA U-shaped metal fastener, used to attach fence wire or other material to posts or structures."The rancher used staples to attach the barbed wire to the fence-posts."
12.nounOne of a set of U-shaped metal rods hammered into a structure, such as a piling or wharf, which serve as a ladder."Fortunately, there were staples in the quay wall, and she was able to climb out of the water."
13.nounA shaft, smaller and shorter than the principal one, joining different levels.
14.nounA small pit.
15.nounA district granted to an abbey.
16.nounA post; prop; support
17.verbTo secure with a staple.