The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Distaff \Dis"taff\, n.; pl. Distaffs, rarely Distaves. [OE.
   distaf, dysestafe, AS. distaef; cf. LG. diesse the bunch of
   flax on a distaff, and E. dizen. See Staff.]
   1. The staff for holding a bunch of flax, tow, or wool, from
      which the thread is drawn in spinning by hand.
      [1913 Webster]

            I will the distaff hold; come thou and spin.
                                                  --Fairfax.
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   2. Used as a symbol of the holder of a distaff; hence, a
      woman; women, collectively.
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            His crown usurped, a distaff on the throne.
                                                  --Dryden.
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            Some say the crozier, some say the distaff was too
            busy.                                 --Howell.
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   Note: The plural is regular, but Distaves occurs in Beaumont
         & Fletcher.
         [1913 Webster]

   Descent by distaff, descent on the mother's side.

   Distaff Day, or Distaff's Day, the morrow of the
      Epiphany, that is, January 7, because working at the
      distaff was then resumed, after the Christmas festival; --
      called also Rock Day, a distaff being called a rock.
      --Shipley.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

distaff
    adj 1: characteristic of or peculiar to a woman; "female
           sensitiveness"; "female suffrage" [syn: female,
           distaff]
    n 1: the sphere of work by women
    2: the staff on which wool or flax is wound before spinning

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary:

Distaff
   (Heb. pelek, a "circle"), the instrument used for twisting
   threads by a whirl (Prov. 31:19).