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| sta·ple [ stáyp'l ] |
noun (plural sta·ples) |
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1. basic ingredient of diet: a food that forms the basis of the diet of the people of a region or of an animal
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2. principal or recurring ingredient: a principal or continually recurring ingredient or feature of something
  Lurid stories are a staple of tabloid journalism.
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3. most important product of trade: the commodity or product that is most important to the trade of a country, region, or organization
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4. U.S. raw material: a raw material, especially the principal raw material produced or grown in a region
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5. manufacturing wool, cotton, or flax fiber: wool, cotton, or flax fiber graded according to its length and fineness
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transitive verb (past and past participle sta·pled, present participle sta·pling, 3rd person present singular sta·ples) |
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| Definition: |
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manufacturing grade fibers: to grade wool, cotton, or flax fiber according to its length and fineness
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| [14th century. Via French< Middle Low German, Middle Dutch stapel "shop; pillar" < Germanic] |
