staff-n; 8 Senses

Sense Number 1: employees who assist a supervisor

Commentary: STAFF[+group][+people][+employee][+subordinate]

Examples:
Bob wants more staff reporting to him.
The hospital staff have been working double shifts for two weeks.
The military officers and their staff use this building as their temporary headquarters.

Mappings:
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 1

Sense Number 2: faculty, as of a university or research laboratory

Commentary: STAFF[+group][+people][+faculty]

Examples:
John is on the staff at Boston College.
They are both research staff at a pharmaceutical lab.
The university staff signed a petition endorsing the actions of the new Chancellor.

Mappings:
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 3

Sense Number 3: a stout or solid stick, as for walking

Commentary: STAFF[+artifact][+tool][+stick][+walking]

Examples:
Hickory or oak will make a good walking staff.
The shepherd beat away the jackals with his staff.
Here is a picture of my grandfather in evening clothes, leaning on a staff.

Mappings:
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 2

Sense Number 4: a tool, a rod, used for surveying

Commentary: STAFF[+artifact][+tool][+surveying][+rod]

Examples:
The surveyors set up a staff in a flat spot of the meadow.
A staff is used to measure distances and heights in the surveying of land.

Mappings:
WordNet 0.0 Sense Numbers: 3c

Sense Number 5: musical notation, a series of lines and spaces where notes are written

Commentary: STAFF[+notation][+musical][+lines][+bass/+treble]

Examples:
You play the notes on the treble staff and I'll play the ones on the bass staff.
Each staff has five lines.

Mappings:
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 6

Sense Number 6: building material, made of plaster

Commentary: STAFF[+substance][+building][+plaster]

Examples:
These temporary shelters are covered with staff.
The exterior walls of the building were made of staff.

Mappings:
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 4

Sense Number 7: a rod used as a symbol of authority or office

Commentary: STAFF[+role][+symbol][+authority]

Examples:
The bishop entered the hall, wearing his robes and carrying his staff.
Statues of the ancient pharaohs indicated their royal stature via false beards and staffs held in the hand.

Mappings:
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 5

Sense Number 8: bread, usually leavened and baked

Commentary: Idiom: staff_of_life

Examples:
Bread has been called the staff of life.

Mappings:
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 1