The word "stave" has several meanings, depending on its context.
1) In music, a stave is one of the horizontal lines that make up a staff, which are used to notate musical pitches and rhythms. A single line of music is called a melody or part, while multiple lines of music for different instruments form a score.
2) In writing or printing, a stave refers to a piece of wood or metal on which type is set up in the process of typesetting. It can also refer to a separate sheet containing only one line of text, used as an alternative to using multiple sheets of paper for a single document.
3) In alcoholic beverages, stave refers to wooden barrels or casks that are used to store and age liquor such as whiskey, brandy, or wine. The wood from these barrels is also known as "staves."