shaft

nounrod

nounweapon
nounray of light
nounlong part of something

Word Origin & History

Old English sceaft "long, slender rod, staff, pole; spear-shaft; spear," from Proto-Germanic *skaftaz (cf. Old Norse skapt, Old Saxon skaft, Old High German scaft, German schaft, Dutch schacht, not found in Gothic), which some connect with a Germanic passive past participle of PIE root *(s)kep- "to cut, to scrape" (cf. Old English scafan "to shave, scrape, polish") on notion of "tree branch stripped of its bark." But cf. Latin scapus "shaft, stem, shank," Greek skeptron "a staff" (see scepter) which appear to be cognates.

Meaning "beam or ray" (of light, etc.) is attested from c.1300. Sense of "an arrow" is from c.1400; that of "a handle" from 1520s. Mechanical sense is from 1680s. Vulgar slang meaning "penis" first recorded 1719 on notion of "columnar part" (late 14c.); hence probably shaft (v.) and the related noun sense "act of unfair treatment" (1959), though some early sources insist this is from the notion of a "wound."

Example Sentences for shaft

Presently Percival found himself again at the bottom of the shaft.

Now they neared the foot of the shaft where the rest of the party seemed to await them.

No shaft that Percival was able to fashion had point enough to pierce it.

It is but the eye to the cord, the cord to the shaft, and the shaft to the mark.

"You are the surer, Watkin," said Aylward, standing by them with shaft upon string.

Better to strike the rear guard than to feather a shaft in the earth.

They fit into one another like the arrow point to the shaft.

He it was who forged the shaft of the Savannah, the first steamship which crossed the Atlantic.

(feather-equipment), the feathers of the shaft of the arrow: dat.

Then he reached out both hands vaguely and touched the shaft of the plough.

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