\Sta"ple\, n. [AS. stapul, stapol, stapel, a step, a
prop, post, table, fr. stapan to step, go, raise; akin to D.
stapel a pile, stocks, emporium, G. stapela heap, mart,
stake, staffel step of a ladder, Sw. stapel, Dan. stabel, and
E. step cf. OF. estaple a mart, F. ['e]tape. See {Step}.]
1. A settled mart; an emporium; a city or town to which
   merchants brought commodities for sale or exportation in
   bulk; a place for wholesale traffic.
         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.

\Sta"ple\, a.
1. Pertaining to, or being market of staple for, commodities;
   as, a staple town. [R.]
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.

\Sta"ple\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {stapled}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{stapling}.]
To sort according to its staple; as, to staple cotton.