The customs of Alexandria were very great, it having
been the staple of the Indian trade. --Arbuthnot.
For the increase of trade and the encouragement of
the worthy burgesses of Woodstock, her majesty was
minded to erect the town into a staple for wool.
--Sir W.
Scott.
Note: In England, formerly, the king's staple was established
in certain ports or towns, and certain goods could not
be exported without being first brought to these places
to be rated and charged with the duty payable of the
king or the public. The principal commodities on which
customs were lived were wool, skins, and leather; and
these were originally the staple commodities.
2. Hence: Place of supply; source; fountain head.
Whitehall naturally became the chief staple of news.
Whenever there was a rumor that any thing important
had happened or was about to happen, people hastened
thither to obtain intelligence from the fountain
head. --Macaulay.
3. The principal commodity of traffic in a market; a
principal commodity or production of a country or
district; as, wheat, maize, and cotton are great staples
of the United States.
We should now say, Cotton is the great staple, that
is, the established merchandize, of Manchester.
--Trench.
4. The principal constituent in anything; chief item.
5. Unmanufactured material; raw material.
6. The fiber of wool, cotton, flax, or the like; as, a coarse
staple; a fine staple; a long or short staple.
7. A loop of iron, or a bar or wire, bent and formed with two
points to be driven into wood, to hold a hook, pin, or the
like.
8. (Mining)
(a) A shaft, smaller and shorter than the principal one,
joining different levels.
(b) A small pit.
9. A district granted to an abbey. [Obs.] --Camden.
2. Established in commerce; occupying the markets; settled;
as, a staple trade. --Dryden.
3. Fit to be sold; marketable. [R.] --Swift.
4. Regularly produced or manufactured in large quantities;
belonging to wholesale traffic; principal; chief.
Wool, the great staple commodity of England.
--H???om.