tipstaff
Americannoun
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tipstaves,
plural
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tipstaffs
plural
-
an attendant or crier in a court of law.
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a staff tipped with metal, formerly carried as a badge of office, as by a constable.
-
any official who carried such a staff.
noun
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a court official having miscellaneous duties, mostly concerned with the maintenance of order in court
-
a metal-tipped staff formerly used as a symbol of office
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of tipstaff
1535–45; shortened form of earlier tipped staff; see tip 1, -ed 3, staff 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
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
Was he fit for nothing but to be employed as a messenger, as a common tipstaff?
From The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 12 (of 12) by Edmund Burke
Like enough," the tipstaff said, "he may have run through his money the first night or two after coming up to town.
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
A tipstaff brought him a glass of water, and he finally recovered.
From Burnham Breaker by Homer Greene
Cavalcanti took a step forward, his face purple with anger that this tipstaff ruffian should take such a tone with him.
From The Strolling Saint; being the confessions of the high and mighty Agostino D'Anguissola, tyrant of Mondolfo and Lord of Carmina in the state of Piacenza by Rafael Sabatini
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
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
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
Constance and the beaver positioned themselves behind these, tipstaves at the ready.
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
The attorneys had their seats and their big tables, and the somewhat familiar respect of the tipstaves.
From Orley Farm by Anthony Trollope
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
"If I know anything, it'll be a two-thousand-dollar werdick," mumbled one of the tipstaves.
From Lippincott's Magazine, November 1885 by Various
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
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