a stick that was used in the past for holding wool when it was spun by hand （旧时手工纺纱用的）纺纱杆，绕线杆 - (in noun compounds)
female or relating to women 女子： 女性或与女性有关‘Thelma and Louise’ was a distaff buddy movie with a strong feminist agenda. 《塞尔玛和露易丝》是一部带有强烈女权主义倾向的兄弟电影。
Word OriginOld English distæf: the first element is apparently related to Middle Low German dise, disene ‘distaff, bunch of flax’; the second is staff. The sense ‘concerning women’ arose because spinning was traditionally done by women.
Idioms
on the distaff side
- (old-fashioned)
on the woman’s side of the family 母方家族的；母系的