STAPLES

A town containing merchants who have exclusive right, under royal authority, to purchase or produce certain goods for export; also, the body of such merchants seen as a group.

(by extension) Place of supply; source.

The principal commodity produced in a town or region.

To sort according to its staple.

"to staple cotton"

A wire fastener used to secure stacks of paper by penetrating all the sheets and curling around.

A wire fastener used to secure something else by penetrating and curling.

"Can you believe they use staples to hold cars together these days?"

A U-shaped metal fastener, used to attach fence wire or other material to posts or structures.

"The rancher used staples to attach the barbed wire to the fence-posts."

To secure with a staple.