to have tow on the distaff
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To have work in hand. He hadde more tow on his distaf Than Gerveys knew.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to have tow on the distaff” mean?
To have work in hand. He hadde more tow on his distaf Than Gerveys knew.
Is “to have tow on the distaff” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.