A Quick and Simple Dictionary

sheaf

1. Noun.  A quantity of the stalks and ears of wheat, rye, or other grain, bound together; a bundle of grain or straw.
2. Noun.  Any collection of things bound together; a bundle.
3. Noun.  A bundle of arrows sufficient to fill a quiver, or the allowance of each archer.
4. Noun.  (''unit'') A quantity of arrows, usually twenty-four.
5. Noun.  (''mechanical'') A sheave.
6. Noun.  (mathematics) An abstract construct in topology that associates data to the open sets of a topological space, together with well-defined restrictions from larger to smaller open sets, subject to the condition that compatible data on overlapping open sets corresponds, via the restrictions, to a unique datum on the union of the open sets. ^W.
7. Verb.  (transitive) To gather and bind into a sheaf; to make into sheaves; as, to sheaf wheat.
8. Verb.  (intransitive) To collect and bind cut grain, or the like; to make sheaves.