noun
- a wooden pole or staff used to carry a cowl (a large tub or container) suspended between two people
Usage: archaic; historical
Examples
- The servants used a cowlstaff to transport water from the well to the kitchen.
- Two workers balanced the cowlstaff across their shoulders, each end supporting a heavy cowl.
- In medieval times, a cowlstaff was an essential tool for moving large containers of liquid.
- The cowlstaff allowed one person on each end to share the burden of carrying the full tub.