noun
plural staves
[count] one of the narrow strips of wood that form the sides of a barrel
a long wooden stick :staff
chiefly Brit :1staff
verb
staves; staved also stove ; staving
stave in
[phrasal verb]
stave in or stave (something) in or stave in (something) :to be broken or crushed inward or to break or crush (something) inward
stave off
[phrasal verb]
stave (someone or something) off or stave off (someone or something) :to keep (someone or something) away usually for a short time
US