shaft

—shaftless, adj. —shaftlike, adj.

/shaft, shahft/, n.

1. a long pole forming the body of various weapons, as lances, halberds, or arrows.

2. something directed or barbed as in sharp attack: shafts of sarcasm.

3. a ray or beam: a shaft of sunlight.

4. a long, comparatively straight handle serving as an important or balancing part of an implement or device, as of a hammer, ax, golf club, or other implement.

5. Mach. a rotating or oscillating round, straight bar for transmitting motion and torque, usually supported on bearings and carrying gears, wheels, or the like, as a propeller shaft on a ship, or a drive shaft of an engine.

6. a flagpole.

7. Archit.

a. that part of a column or pier between the base and capital. See diag. under column.

b. any distinct, slender, vertical masonry feature engaged in a wall or pier and usually supporting or feigning to support an arch or vault.

8. a monument in the form of a column, obelisk, or the like.

9. either of the parallel bars of wood between which the animal drawing a vehicle is hitched.

10. any well-like passage or vertical enclosed space, as in a building: an elevator shaft.

11. Mining. a vertical or sloping passageway leading to the surface.

12. Bot. the trunk of a tree.

13. Zool. the main stem or midrib of a feather.

14. Also called leaf. Textiles. the harness or warp with reference to the pattern of interlacing threads in weave constructions (usually used in combination): an eight-shaft satin.

15. the part of a candelabrum that supports the branches.

v.t.

16. to push or propel with a pole: to shaft a boat through a tunnel.

17. Informal. to treat in a harsh, unfair, or treacherous manner.

[bef. 1000; ME; OE sceaft; c. G Schaft; cf. L scapus shaft, Gk skêptron SCEPTER]

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