|a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of
certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an
effective remedy for poison.| |an arrangement of five objects,
as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one
in the middle.| a staff of wood from 6 to 9 feet (about 2 to 3
m) long, used for attack and defense. It is probably the cudgel
or sapling with which many legendary heroes are described as
being armed. The quarterstaff attained great popularity in
England during the Middle Ages. It was usually made of oak, the
ends often being shod with iron, and it was held with both
hands, the right hand grasping it one-quarter of the distance
from the lower end (hence the name) and the left at about the
middle. The staff was used as a foil, or practice substitute,
for the long, two-handed sword of the period. In earlier times,
it may also have been used as a practice weapon for the spear
and pike Learn more about quarterstaff with a free trial on
Britannica.com.