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Spinning Flax from a distaff

As a noun, a distaff is a tool used in spinning. It is designed to hold the unspun fibers, keeping them untangled and thus easing the spinning process. It is most commonly used to hold flax, and sometimes wool, but can be used for any type of fiber.

The traditional form is a staff, typically mounted as an attachment to a spinning wheel. It is placed next to the bobbin, where it will be in easy reach of the spinner. The fiber is wrapped around the staff, and tied in place with a piece of ribbon or string. More recently, hand-spinners have begun using wrist-distaffs to hold their fiber; these are made of flexible material such as braided yarn, and can swing freely from the wrist.

The term distaff is also used as an adjective and is used as a descriptor for a female grouping (e.g., the "distaff side" of a person's family refer's to the person's mother and her blood relatives). This term developed in the English speaking communities where a distaff spinning tool was used often to symbolize domestic life. The term distaff has fallen largely into disuse in recent times, although its antonyms of sword and spear to describe a male grouping are even more obscure.

One still-recognized use of the term is in horse racing, where the American Breeders Cup run by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association where fillies compete in a separate race referred to as "The Distaff".

In Norse mythology the Goddess Frigg spins clouds from her bejeweled distaff in the Norse constellation known as Frigg's Spinning Wheel.

• Wordsmith's definition
• Picture of a spinning wheel with distaff
• Picture of a spinning wheel with distaff and flax
• Instructions on making a recycled sock wrist-distaff
• National Thoroughbred Racing Association's Breeders' Cup Page

according to "who wants to be a Millionare" tonight spear is the only acceptable antinum, and sword cost him $32000, so this was the $64.000 question.