A walking staff or cudgel designed to be held in one hand, often used as a weapon or tool in historical times.
Compound of 'hand' and 'staff' (from Old English 'stæf,' a rod or stick). This represents a specific type of staff designed for one-handed use rather than two-handed operation.
Medieval soldiers sometimes preferred a handstaff to a sword because you could hold a shield with the other hand for protection while still having a weapon—it was basically the medieval version of tactical gear optimization!
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