Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SHEAF, n. [plur. Sheaves. Sax. sceaf; D. schoof. It appears to be connected with the D. schuiveni, schoof, to shove, Sax. scufan. The sense then is a mass or collection driven or pressed together. But the Welsh has ysgub, a sheaf and a besom, whence ysgubaw, to sweep, L. scopa, scopo, and said to be from cub, what is put together, a cube. If these are of one family, as I suspect, the root is in Class Gb, and the sense to collect or press together.]

1. A quality of the stalks of wheat, rye, oats or barley bound together; a bundle of stalks or straw. The reaper fills his greedy hands, / And binds the golden sheaves in brittle bands. – Dryden.
2. Any bundle or collection; as, a sheaf of arrows. – Dryden.