staff (redirected from staffs)

at half-mast and at half-staff

[of a flag] halfway up or down its flagpole. The flag was flying at half-mast because the general had died. Americans fly flags at half-staff on Memorial Day.

Bread is the staff of life.

Prov. Food is necessary for people to survive. Miranda likes to give money to charities that feed people. "Other services are important," she reasons, "but bread is the staff of life." Jill: Want to go to lunch with us, Bob? Bob: No. I must work on my novel while inspiration lasts. Jill: Don't forget to eat. Bread is the staff of life, you know.

See also: bread, life

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the staff of life  (literary)

a food such as bread that is eaten in large amounts by a lot of people Bread is the staff of life, which is why we only use the finest organic flour to make ours.

See also: life