Sentence:  Esther's wrists were firmly tied, and the twisted rope was fastened to a strong <WSD>staple</WSD> in a heavy wooden joist above, near the fire-place. Here she stood, on a bench, her arms tightly drawn over her breast. Her back and shoulders were bare to the waist. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  A U-shaped metal fastener, used to attach fence wire or other material to posts or structures.