Adjacent Words

Shaft definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SH'AFT, n. L. scapus; from the root of shape, from setting, or shooting, extending.]
1. An arrow; a missile weapin; as the archer and the shaft.
So loftly was the pile, a Parthian bow
Whith vigor drawn must send the shaft below. Dryden.
2. In mining, a pit or long narrow opening or entrance into a mine. [This may possibly be a different word, as in German it is written schacht, Dan. skaegte.]
3. In architecture, the shaft of a column is the body of it, between the base and the capital.
4. Any thing straight; as the shaft of a steeple, and many other things.
5. The stem or stock of a fether or quill.
6. The pole of a carriage, sometimes called tongue or neap. The thills of a chaise or geg are also called shafts.
7. The handle of a weapon.
Shaft, or white-shaft, a species of Trochilus or humming bird, having a bill twenty lines in levgth, and two long fethers in the middle of its tail.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a line that forms the length of an arrow pointer
2: an aggressive remark directed at a person like a missile and intended to have a telling effect; "his parting shot was `drop dead'"; "she threw shafts of sarcasm"; "she takes a dig at me every chance she gets" [syn: shot, shaft, slam, dig, barb, jibe, gibe]
3: a long rod or pole (especially the handle of an implement or the body of a weapon like a spear or arrow)
4: a column of light (as from a beacon) [syn: beam, beam of light, light beam, ray, ray of light, shaft, shaft of light, irradiation]
5: the main (mid) section of a long bone [syn: diaphysis, shaft]
6: obscene terms for penis [syn: cock, prick, dick, shaft, pecker, peter, tool, putz]
7: a long pointed rod used as a tool or weapon [syn: spear, lance, shaft]
8: a vertical passageway through a building (as for an elevator)
9: (architecture) upright consisting of the vertical part of a column [syn: shaft, scape]
10: a long vertical passage sunk into the earth, as for a mine or tunnel
11: a revolving rod that transmits power or motion [syn: rotating shaft, shaft]
12: the hollow spine of a feather [syn: quill, calamus, shaft] v
1: equip with a shaft
2: defeat someone through trickery or deceit [syn: cheat, chouse, shaft, screw, chicane, jockey]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun (plural shafts) Etymology: Middle English, from Old English sceaft; akin to Old High German scaft shaft, Latin scapus shaft, stalk, Greek sk?ptesthai to prop oneself, lean Date: before 12th century 1. a. (1) the long handle of a spear or similar weapon (2) spear, lance b. or plural shaves pole; specifically either of two long pieces of wood between which a horse is hitched to a vehicle c. (1) an arrow especially for a longbow (2) the body or stem of an arrow extending from the nock to the head 2. a sharply delineated beam of light shining through an opening 3. something suggestive of the shaft of a spear or arrow especially in long slender cylindrical form: as a. the trunk of a tree b. the cylindrical pillar between the capital and the base c. the handle of a tool or instrument (as a golf club) d. a commonly cylindrical bar used to support rotating pieces or to transmit power or motion by rotation e. the stem or central axis of a feather f. the upright member of a cross especially below the arms g. the cylindrical part of a long bone between the enlarged ends h. a small architectural column (as at each side of a doorway) i. a column, obelisk, or other spire-shaped or columnar monument j. a vertical or inclined opening of uniform and limited cross section made for finding or mining ore, raising water, or ventilating underground workings (as in a cave) k. the part of a hair that is visible above the surface of the skin l. a vertical opening or passage through the floors of a building 4. a. a projectile thrown like a spear or shot like an arrow b. a scornful, satirical, or pithily critical remark or attack c. harsh or unfair treatment — usually used with the <gave them the shaft> II. transitive verb Date: 1611 1. to fit with a shaft 2. to treat unfairly or harshly

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 a an arrow or spear. b the long slender stem of these. 2 a remark intended to hurt or provoke (a shaft of malice; shafts of wit). 3 (foll. by of) a a ray (of light). b a bolt (of lightning). 4 the stem or handle of a tool, implement, etc. 5 a column, esp. between the base and capital. 6 a long narrow space, usu. vertical, for access to a mine, a lift in a building, for ventilation, etc. 7 a long and narrow part supporting or connecting or driving a part or parts of greater thickness etc. 8 each of the pair of poles between which a horse is harnessed to a vehicle. 9 the central stem of a feather. 10 Mech. a large axle or revolving bar transferring force by belts or cogs. 11 US colloq. harsh or unfair treatment. --v.tr. US colloq. treat unfairly. Etymology: OE scæft, sceaft f. Gmc

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Shaft Shaft, n. [OE. shaft, schaft, AS. sceaft; akin to D. schacht, OHG. scaft, G. schaft, Dan. & Sw. skaft handle, haft, Icel. skapt, and probably to L. scapus, Gr. ????, ????, a staff. Probably originally, a shaven or smoothed rod. Cf. Scape, Scepter, Shave.] 1. The slender, smooth stem of an arrow; hence, an arrow. His sleep, his meat, his drink, is him bereft, That lean he wax, and dry as is a shaft. --Chaucer. A shaft hath three principal parts, the stele [stale], the feathers, and the head. --Ascham. 2. The long handle of a spear or similar weapon; hence, the weapon itself; (Fig.) anything regarded as a shaft to be thrown or darted; as, shafts of light. And the thunder, Winged with red lightning and impetuous rage, Perhaps hath spent his shafts. --Milton. Some kinds of literary pursuits . . . have been attacked with all the shafts of ridicule. --V. Knox. 3. That which resembles in some degree the stem or handle of an arrow or a spear; a long, slender part, especially when cylindrical. Specifically: (a) (Bot.) The trunk, stem, or stalk of a plant. (b) (Zo["o]l.) The stem or midrib of a feather. See Illust. of Feather. (c) The pole, or tongue, of a vehicle; also, a thill. (d) The part of a candlestick which supports its branches. Thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold . . . his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same. --Ex. xxv. 31. (e) The handle or helve of certain tools, instruments, etc., as a hammer, a whip, etc. (f) A pole, especially a Maypole. [Obs.] --Stow. (g) (Arch.) The body of a column; the cylindrical pillar between the capital and base (see Illust. of Column). Also, the part of a chimney above the roof. Also, the spire of a steeple. [Obs. or R.] --Gwilt. (h) A column, an obelisk, or other spire-shaped or columnar monument. Bid time and nature gently spare The shaft we raise to thee. --Emerson. (i) (Weaving) A rod at the end of a heddle. (j) (Mach.) A solid or hollow cylinder or bar, having one or more journals on which it rests and revolves, and intended to carry one or more wheels or other revolving parts and to transmit power or motion; as, the shaft of a steam engine. See Illust. of Countershaft. 4. (Zo["o]l.) A humming bird (Thaumastura cora) having two of the tail feathers next to the middle ones very long in the male; -- called also cora humming bird. 5. [Cf. G. schacht.] (Mining) A well-like excavation in the earth, perpendicular or nearly so, made for reaching and raising ore, for raising water, etc. 6. A long passage for the admission or outlet of air; an air shaft. 7. The chamber of a blast furnace. Line shaft (Mach.), a main shaft of considerable length, in a shop or factory, usually bearing a number of pulleys by which machines are driven, commonly by means of countershafts; -- called also line, or main line. Shaft alley (Naut.), a passage extending from the engine room to the stern, and containing the propeller shaft. Shaft furnace (Metal.), a furnace, in the form of a chimney, which is charged at the top and tapped at the bottom.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Band Band (b[a^]nd), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Banded; p. pr. & vb. n. Banding.] 1. To bind or tie with a band. 2. To mark with a band. 3. To unite in a troop, company, or confederacy. ``Banded against his throne.'' --Milton. Banded architrave, pier, shaft, etc. (Arch.), an architrave, pier, etc., of which the regular profile is interrupted by blocks or projections crossing it at right angles.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(shafts) 1. A shaft is a long vertical passage, for example for a lift. He was found dead at the bottom of a lift shaft. ...old mine shafts. N-COUNT: oft n N 2. In a machine, a shaft is a rod that turns round continually in order to transfer movement in the machine. ...a drive shaft. ...the propeller shaft. N-COUNT: usu n N 3. A shaft is a long thin piece of wood or metal that forms part of a spear, axe, golf club, or other object. ...golf clubs with steel shafts. N-COUNT 4. A shaft of light is a beam of light, for example sunlight shining through an opening. A brilliant shaft of sunlight burst through the doorway. N-COUNT: usu N of n

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

shaft: Isa 49:2 for chets, "an arrow"; also Ex 25:31; 37:17; Nu 8:4 the King James Version for a part of the candlestick of the tabernacle somewhat vaguely designated by the word yarekh, "thigh." The context in the first 2 verses shows that the upright stem or "shaft" is intended, but in Nu 8:4 a different context has caused the Revised Version (British and American) to substitute "base."

See also ARCHERY; ARMOR, ARMS.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Arrow, missile, weapon. 2. Handle. 3. Thill, pole, tongue. 4. Trunk (of a column). 5. Axis, spindle, arbor. 6. Spire, pinnacle. 7. Stem, stalk, trunk.

Moby Thesaurus

abysm, abyss, adit, air duct, air hole, air passage, air shaft, air tube, airway, antenna tower, arch, arrow, arrowhead, baluster, balustrade, banister, bank, barb, barbican, barbule, barrel, barrow, base, beam, belfry, bell tower, blowhole, bobtailed arrow, bolt, boundary stone, brass, breathing hole, bust, cairn, campanile, caryatid, cavity, cenotaph, chasm, chested arrow, cilium, cloth yard shaft, coal mine, colliery, colonnade, colossus, column, crater, crevasse, cromlech, cross, cup, cupola, cut, cyclolith, dado, dart, deep, depth, derrick, die, dig, diggings, dolmen, dome, duct, excavation, filament, filamentule, fire tower, flight, flue, footstalk, footstone, gibe, gleam, gold mine, grave, gravestone, gulf, handle, headstone, helve, hoarstone, hole, hollow, inscription, jab, jack, jibe, knock, lantern, lighthouse, louver, louverwork, marker, martello, martello tower, mast, mausoleum, megalith, memento, memorial, memorial arch, memorial column, memorial statue, memorial stone, menhir, minaret, mine, monolith, monument, mound, naris, necrology, newel-post, nostril, obelisk, obituary, observation tower, open cut, opencast, pagoda, pedestal, pedicel, peduncle, pencil, pier, pilaster, pile, piling, pillar, pinnacle, pit, plaque, plinth, pole, post, potshot, prize, put-down, pylon, pyramid, quarrel, quarry, queen-post, quill, ray, reed, reliquary, remembrance, ribbon, rod, rostral column, screw, screwing, shank, shoot, shrine, skyscraper, socle, spilehole, spiracle, spire, staff, stalk, stanchion, stand, standard, standpipe, steeple, stela, stem, stick, sting, stone, streak, stupa, subbase, surbase, tablet, television mast, testimonial, thrust, tomb, tombstone, tope, touchhole, tour, tower, transom, trophy, trunk, tunnel, turret, upright, vent, ventage, venthole, ventiduct, ventilating shaft, ventilator, volley, water tower, well, wind tunnel, windmill tower, workings, yawning abyss