gibstaff

English

Etymology

From the dialectal term gib (“hooked stick”) + staff.

Noun

gibstaff (plural gibstaffs)

1. (obsolete) A staff to gauge water, or to push a boat.
   • 1987, G. Mustafa Shar, “The Mohanna — An Unknown Life on the Indus River”, in Reports on Field Work Carried out at Mohenjo-Daro: Interim Reports, volume 2 (1983–84), →ISSN, page 173:

     The house boats of the Mohannas are called “Doondees“. One family may live in the same small boat for as long as half a century. These “Doondees“ range in size between 6 m long and 2 m wide up to a length of 14 m and a width of 4 m in the middle of the boat. The boat is basically steered by a gibstaff.

2. (obsolete, historical) A staff used in stick fighting; a quarterstaff.

   (The addition of quotations indicative of this usage is being sought:)

References

• “gibstaff”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.