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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Staple \Sta"ple\ (st[=a]"p'l), 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.
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The customs of Alexandria were very great, it having
been the staple of the Indian trade. --Arbuthnot.
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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.
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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 to the
king or the public. The principal commodities on which
customs were levied were wool, skins, and leather; and
these were originally the staple commodities.
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2. Hence: Place of supply; source; fountain head.
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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.
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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.
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We should now say, Cotton is the great staple, that
is, the established merchandise, of Manchester.
--Trench.
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4. The principal constituent in anything; chief item.
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5. Unmanufactured material; raw material.
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6. The fiber of wool, cotton, flax, or the like; as, a coarse
staple; a fine staple; a long or short staple.
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7. A loop of metal such as 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.
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8. Specifically: A small loop of metal such as steel, bent
into a U-shape with the points sharpened, used to fasten
sheets of paper together by driving the staple[8] through
the stacked sheets and into a formed receptacle which
curls the ends in and backward, thus holding the papers
firmly together; also, a similar, slightly larger such
fastener which may be driven into wood to fasten objects
to a wooden backing.
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9. (Mining)
(a) A shaft, smaller and shorter than the principal one,
joining different levels.
(b) A small pit.
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10. A district granted to an abbey. [Obs.] --Camden.
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Staple \Sta"ple\, a.
1. Pertaining to, or being a market or staple for,
commodities; as, a staple town. [R.]
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2. Established in commerce; occupying the markets; settled;
as, a staple trade. --Dryden.
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3. Fit to be sold; marketable. [R.] --Swift.
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4. Regularly produced or manufactured in large quantities;
belonging to wholesale traffic; principal; chief.
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Wool, the great staple commodity of England.
--Hallam.
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staple \sta"ple\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {stapled} (-p'ld); p. pr.
& vb. n. {stapling}.]
1. To sort according to its staple; as, to staple cotton.
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2. To fasten together with a staple[9] or staples; as, to
staple a check to a letter.
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