composing stick

American  

noun

Printing.

1. a portable, adjustable, usually metal tray that the compositor holds in one hand while placing in it type gathered with the other hand.

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composing stick British  

noun

1. printing a metal holder of adjustable width in which a compositor sets a line of type at a time by hand; now rarely used

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Etymology

Origin of composing stick

First recorded in 1670–80

Example Sentences

To the frontier editor, a pistol was as crucial as a composing stick.

From Time Magazine Archive

As to Keimer, suspecting from his youthful appearance, that Ben could hardly understand any thing of the printing art, he slyly put a composing stick into his hand.

From The Life of Benjamin Franklin With Many Choice Anecdotes and admirable sayings of this great man never before published by any of his biographers by Weems, Mason Locke

One contained a small composing stone, a cleaning brush, a composing stick, a pair of narrow-pointed pliers, a mallet and planer.

From The Adventures of Bobby Orde by Brehm, Worth

Galley—A shallow tray used by compositors to hold type after the lines have been set and transferred from the composing stick.

From Type Cases and Composing-room furniture by Stewart, A. A.

He asked the young man a few questions, put a composing stick into his hands, and professed himself satisfied with his work.

From Benjamin Franklin A Picture of the Struggles of Our Infant Nation One Hundred Years Ago American Pioneers and Patriots Series by Abbott, John S. C. (John Stevens Cabot)