composing stick
noun
,
Printing.
1.
a portable, adjustable, usually metal tray that the compositor holds in one hand while placing in it type gathered with the other hand.
Also called
job stick
.
Origin
1670-80
British Dictionary definitions for
composing stick
composing stick
noun
1.
(
printing
) a metal holder of adjustable width in which a compositor sets a line of type at a time by hand; now rarely used