tipstaff

American  

[tip-staf, -stahf] / ˈtɪpˌstæf, -ˌstɑf /

noun

• tipstaves,
  plural
• tipstaffs
  plural

1. an attendant or crier in a court of law.

2. a staff tipped with metal, formerly carried as a badge of office, as by a constable.

3. any official who carried such a staff.

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tipstaff British  

/ ˈtɪpˌstɑːf /

noun

1. a court official having miscellaneous duties, mostly concerned with the maintenance of order in court

2. a metal-tipped staff formerly used as a symbol of office

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• tipstaffs
  plural
• tipstaves
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of tipstaff

1535–45; shortened form of earlier tipped staff; see tip ¹, -ed ³, staff ¹

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tipstaff tipstaffs tipstaves

Preceded by his tipstaff wearing a black frock coat and carrying a white staff topped with an elaborate gold crown, in came the judge.

From The Guardian ● Mar. 19, 2017

As we were leaving the court, a tipstaff came up to Joe Punchard, and formally arrested him as a runaway 'prentice; at the instance, I doubt not, of Vetch himself.

From Humphrey Bold A Story of the Times of Benbow by Herbert Strang

When he called a conference, he must needs muster to the quarter-deck by beat of drum, with a tipstaff, having a silver bauble of a stick, leading the way.

From Heralds of Empire Being the Story of One Ramsay Stanhope, Lieutenant to Pierre Radisson in the Northern Fur Trade by Agnes C. (Agnes Christina) Laut

One day when the young bride was at table with her husband, indulging herself in expressing the happiness which she enjoyed, a tipstaff entered, and delivered to her a paper.

From Paris as It Was and as It Is by Francis W. Blagdon

Here they stopped, while the tipstaff delivered his papers; and here Mr. Pickwick was apprised that he would remain, until he had undergone the ceremony, known to the initiated as 'sitting for your portrait.'

From The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens

Is a bench of beadles and tipstaffs, who intercept letters, or keep to themselves the knowledge they should communicate, the power that ruleth?

From Tales from the German Comprising specimens from the most celebrated authors by Various

Well, sir, if that is your humour, I have a brother who is one of the mayor's tipstaffs.

From A Jacobite Exile Being the Adventures of a Young Englishman in the Service of Charles the Twelfth of Sweden by G. A. (George Alfred) Henty

Standing around were about a dozen huge constables with long-pointed tipstaffs in their hands, while two others assisted in chaining and unchaining the prisoners.

From Manuel Pereira by F. Colburn (Francis Colburn) Adams

In lieu of a cloak, lawyers, whether presidents, counsellors, attornies, or tipstaffs, wore their black gown.

From Paris as It Was and as It Is by Francis W. Blagdon

Constance and the beaver positioned themselves behind these, tipstaves at the ready.

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques

The clothed embodied justice that sits in Westminster Hall, with penalties, parchments, tipstaves, is very visible.

From Past and Present by Thomas Carlyle

The attorneys had their seats and their big tables, and the somewhat familiar respect of the tipstaves.

From Orley Farm by Anthony Trollope

To the tipstaves Sir Giles made no observation, and bidding Lupo Vulp hold himself in readiness for a summons, he passed on with his partner to an inner apartment.

From The Star-Chamber, Volume 2 An Historical Romance by William Harrison Ainsworth

They carried black staves six feet long, tipped with brass, and hence were called tipstaves.

From Home Life in Colonial Days by Alice Morse Earle

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