Which preposition to use with staving

of Occurrences 20%

The goguelu rises suddenly up from his tuft of grass, and, having sung a few staves of his gurgling song, drops down again like a cricket-ball and is no more seen.

in Occurrences 20%

Full of joy, they stuck their staves in the earth, and with their heads and faces on the ground, did reverence.

off Occurrences 13%

Yet Italy was only temporarily delivered, for Stilicho,the hero of Pollentia,with the collected forces of the whole western Empire, might still have defied the armies of the Goths and staved off the ruin another generation, had not imperial jealousy and the voice of envy removed him from command.

for Occurrences 6%

Six archers soon after made their appearance, bringing with them ladders, spades, ropes, and large iron staves for the purpose of breaking the legs of the criminals, in order to hasten their deaths.

from Occurrences 5%

I traced the development of his powers, and instanced some of his poems, my poems, which I recited so well that they sounded to me, and I swear to them also, like staves from an angelic hymn-book.

with Occurrences 3%

The children could be seen on barrel staves with a pair of old boots nailed to the centre into which they slipped their feet with their own boots on.

into Occurrences 2%

The part of the rod which fits into the cross head eye should have more taper when made of copper or brass, than when made of iron; as, if the taper be small, the rod may get staved into the eye, whereby its detachment will be difficult.

on Occurrences 2%

matter enough To spoil a waggon-load of ash-staves on, And break a dozen fools' backs across their cantlets.

to Occurrences 2%

When Constable fell from heaven, and we all hoped Baldwin was next, I tuned a slight stave to the words in Macbeth (D'avenant's) to be sung by a Chorus of Authors, What should we do when Booksellers break?

after Occurrences 1%

His only backwardness is to a stave after dinner, seeing that he never dines; for he sings for bread, and though corn has ears, sings very commonly in vain.

above Occurrences 1%

Naked soldiers wrestle in mad conflict, whirl staves above their heads, fling stones, displaying their coarse muscles with a kind of frenzy.

against Occurrences 1%

The dust of the highway rose up around them like a cloud, so that at times Little John and the Tanner could see nothing, but only hear the rattle of the staves against one another.

Which preposition to use with  staving