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Est. 1828
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SHAFT

1 of 2


NOUN

ˈshaft How to pronounce shaft (audio)

plural shafts ˈshaf(t)s How to pronounce shaft (audio)
 for sense 1b usually  ˈshavz
Synonyms of shaftnext
1
a(1)
: the long handle of a spear or similar weapon
(2)
: spear, lance
b
or plural shaves ˈshavz How to pronounce shaft (audio) : 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: such 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 (such 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 see hair
illustration
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



shaft

2 of 2


VERB

shafted; shafting; shafts

transitive verb

1
: to fit with a shaft

2
: to treat unfairly or harshly




SYNONYMS

Noun

   
 * beam
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 * ray
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 


EXAMPLES OF SHAFT IN A SENTENCE

Noun the shaft of a spear the shaft of a golf club Verb You really got shafted
in that deal.

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
For prostate stimulation, Lee says a pick with a curved shaft and bulbous head
will hit the right spot. — Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 19 Nov. 2023 The garden
fork features a wood shaft that has been weatherproofed to enhance durability. —
Renee Freemon Mulvihill, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Nov. 2023
Using the device, which rings in at under $40 while on sale during Prime Day, is
as simple as starting with damp hair, working with small sections, and brushing
slowly down the hair shaft. — Jenny Berg, Vogue, 10 Oct. 2023 In Clair Omar
Musser’s desktop planetarium, each of the nine planets moved on its own shaft
and ball chain. — IEEE Spectrum, 1 Oct. 2023 Israeli forces had found it just a
few hours before and had dropped a camera down its 15-meter shaft (about 50
feet) to see what was below. — Raf Sanchez, NBC News, 6 Nov. 2023 The Ultra
Minis look similar to the classic Ugg boots, but with a much shorter shaft. —
Nicol Natale, Peoplemag, 26 Oct. 2023 Strikes also hit anti-tank missile
launching posts, tunnel shafts, intelligence infrastructure and command centers,
the Israel Defense Forces added. — By dov Lieber, WSJ, 20 Oct. 2023 At the
ongoing third excavation, which began earlier in September, archaeologists have
exposed 22 grave shafts, among which two remains were discovered. — Alaa
Elassar, CNN, 16 Sep. 2023
Verb
When Thursday's Bachelor in Paradise kicked off, Olivia Lewis still felt shafted
by Will Urena forgoing on a date with Kylee Russell. — Dana Rose Falcone,
Peoplemag, 6 Oct. 2023 Parts of the mechanical systems are stashed in the base
of the fins, and the passages from base to shaft to crown bristle with
complexities. — Curbed, 10 Nov. 2022 Don’t use scissors or other similar tools
with cutting, slicing, or chopping action anywhere near your sack or shaft
either. — Sarah Fielding, Men's Health, 6 Dec. 2022 It is powered by a 1,351cc
twin-cylinder engine and has a three-speed gearbox and shaft final drive. — Josh
Max, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2021 An update from the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco
Workers and Grain Millers International Union also said Kellogg’s was trying to
shaft new workers by locking them into subpar benefits and taking away vacation
days. — al, 6 Oct. 2021 Fittings attempt to match things like clubhead weight
and shaft flexibility to an individual golfer’s swing. — Mike Freeman, San Diego
Union-Tribune, 26 Nov. 2020 Lind’s heart genuinely hurts for those shafted by
oligarchy. — New York Times, 17 Jan. 2020 The Coyotes always seem to get shafted
by the schedule, and their gauntlet of games to open the 2019-20 season doesn't
appear any different. — Richard Morin, azcentral, 5 Oct. 2019
See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to
illustrate current usage of the word 'shaft.' Any opinions expressed in the
examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us
feedback about these examples.




WORD HISTORY

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English sceaft; akin to Old High German scaft shaft,
Latin scapus shaft, stalk, Greek skēptesthai to prop oneself, lean

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shaft was before the 12th century
See more words from the same century


PHRASES CONTAINING SHAFT

 * butt shaft
 * shaft horsepower
 * got the shaft
 * the shaft
 * gave her the shaft

 * butt shaft
 * shaft horsepower
 * got the shaft
 * the shaft
 * gave her the shaft


DICTIONARY ENTRIES NEAR SHAFT

Shafiʽi

shaft

Shaftesbury

See More Nearby Entries 


CITE THIS ENTRY

Style
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“Shaft.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster,
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shaft. Accessed 26 Nov. 2023.

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KIDS DEFINITION

shaft

noun
ˈshaft
plural shafts
ˈshaf(t)s,
 in sense 1c also  ˈshavz
1
a
: the long handle of a weapon (as a spear)
b
: spear entry 1 sense 1, lance
c
or plural shaves
ˈshavz
: pole entry 1 sense 1
especially : one of two poles between which a horse is hitched to pull a vehicle
d
: an arrow especially for a longbow

2
: a narrow beam of light

3
: something suggestive of the shaft of an arrow or spear
the shaft or trunk of a tree


4
: the handle of a tool or instrument (as a hammer or golf club)

5
: a tall monument (as a column)

6
: an opening or passage straight down through the floors of a building
an air shaft


7
: a commonly cylindrical bar used to support rotating pieces or to transmit
power or motion by rotation

8
: a mine opening for finding or mining ore

9
: the midrib of a feather

10
: the part of a hair that is visible above the surface of the skin




MEDICAL DEFINITION

shaft

noun
ˈshaft How to pronounce shaft (audio)
plural shafts ˈshaf(t)s How to pronounce shaft (audio)
: a long slender cylindrical body or part: as
a
: the cylindrical part of a long bone between the enlarged ends
b
: hair shaft


MORE FROM MERRIAM-WEBSTER ON SHAFT

Nglish: Translation of shaft for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of shaft for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: 24 Nov 2023 - Updated example sentences
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