Pronunciation: [stˈe͡ɪvɪŋ] (IPA) 
Staving can be a tricky word to spell correctly. It is pronounced /ˈsteɪvɪŋ/. It is the present participle of the verb "stave", meaning to break in or crush. The spelling of "staving" includes the -ing ending, which is used when forming the present participle of a verb. The letter "a" in "stave" is pronounced as /eɪ/ and the "v" is pronounced as /v/. So, the word "staving" is spelled with an "a" not an "e".
Staving is a verb that derives from the word "stave," which refers to a wooden strip or plank that is used to construct barrels, casks, or other containers. In a broader sense, staving can also refer to the act of preventing or avoiding something, often related to hunger, thirst, or deprivation.
In the context of barrel-making, staving refers to the process of assembling the individual staves into a circular structure to create a barrel. The staves are typically shaped to fit together, with beveled edges, allowing them to form a tight and durable container. This process often involves pounding the staves tightly into place, sometimes aided by using metal hoops or bands around the barrel to secure the staves in position. Staving can also encompass the act of shaping or preparing the staves before assembly, such as sawing, planing, or steaming to make them pliable.
Beyond the realm of barrel-making, staving can also describe the efforts to ward off hunger or thirst. It may be used to encapsulate the act of preventing hunger or satisfying a craving by consuming food or drinking liquid. This usage implies a sense of urgency or desperation, as if the person is temporarily alleviating their hunger or thirst until more substantial provisions can be obtained.
Overall, staving encompasses the act of assembling wooden staves into a barrel or cask, or the act of satisfying immediate hunger or thirst needs. Both definitions highlight an element of provision and resourcefulness in either creating a container or addressing basic physiological requirements.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "staving" has a few different etymological origins depending on its context:
1. Staving (present participle of stave): In the context of stave, which means a long, narrow strip of wood, the etymology of "staving" can be traced back to the Old English word "staf", meaning "staff" or "rod". This ultimately derives from the Proto-Germanic word *stabaz, which means "staff" or "pole".
2. Staving (present participle of stave off): In the sense of "stave off", meaning to prevent or keep at a distance, the word comes from the Old English word "stefan", which means "to push, thrust away" or "to ward off". This can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic word *stebaną, meaning "to support, push".
