shaft
shaft — verb
1. to cheat or treat someone badly, especially by taking away something they deserv
to cheat or treat someone badly, especially by taking away something they deserve, such as money, a promotion, or a fair result in a deal or competition.
Hoa felt that her boss had shafted her by giving the promotion to a less experienced colleague.
shaft + someone + by [doing something] — explains the unfair action
Emre paid the contractor in full, but the man shafted him and never finished the work.
Small investors were shafted when the company hid its real financial problems.
The taxi driver tried to shaft the tourists by taking a much longer route to the hotel.
Kwame warned his friend not to trust that online seller, who had shafted other customers before.
- cheat
more general and neutral; 'cheat' covers a wider range of dishonest acts
- rip off
similar level of informality, but 'rip off' often focuses on overcharging for goods or services
- screw over
more vulgar than 'shaft'; used in very informal contexts
文法句型
shaft + someone
用法筆記
Almost always transitive. The subject is the person or group doing the cheating, and the object is the victim. Common in informal conversation and journalism about unfair business practices or workplace treatment.
常見錯誤
shaft — noun
1. a long, narrow piece of wood or metal that you grip when using a tool, weapon, o
a long, narrow piece of wood or metal that you grip when using a tool, weapon, or sports item such as an axe, a golf club, or a spear.
Otis replaced the broken shaft of his axe before splitting firewood for the cabin.
shaft of [tool] — handle of an axe
The shaft of the golf club snapped when Christopher hit the ball too hard.
A skilled carpenter shaped the wooden shaft for the new hammer by hand.
The museum displayed an ancient spear with a bronze tip and a long iron shaft.
Jin grabbed the shovel by its shaft and started digging a hole in the garden.
文法句型
shaft of [tool/weapon]
用法筆記
Often used with a following 'of' phrase naming the tool or weapon.
常見錯誤
2. a metal rod inside an engine, a motor, or a machine that spins to transfer power
a metal rod inside an engine, a motor, or a machine that spins to transfer power or motion between different sections — for example, the drive shaft linking a car's engine to its wheels.
The mechanic found a crack in the drive shaft of Ishaan's truck.
compound noun: drive shaft
When the main shaft broke, the entire factory production line had to stop for repairs.
Alessia learned to replace a bent shaft on the boat engine during her break.
In older cars, a long metal shaft connects the gearbox to the rear wheels.
文法句型
drive shaft
shaft connects [A] to [B]
用法筆記
Frequently appears in compounds: 'drive shaft', 'crankshaft', 'propeller shaft'. Subject of verbs such as 'turn', 'rotate', 'connect', 'transmit'.
3. the visible part of a single hair that grows out of the skin and extends above t
the visible part of a single hair that grows out of the skin and extends above the scalp or body surface.
The hairdresser explained to Quan that damage to the hair shaft can cause split ends.
hair shaft — fixed compound noun
Under the microscope, tiny cracks appeared along the shaft of each hair sample.
Hot styling tools can weaken the hair shaft and make it break off easily.
Roya uses a conditioner that smooths the shaft of each hair strand, reducing frizz.
文法句型
hair shaft
shaft of the hair
用法筆記
Almost always used in the compound 'hair shaft' in medical or cosmetic contexts. Not used for individual hairs in everyday conversation.
常見錯誤
4. the long, straight middle section of a bone in the body, positioned between the
the long, straight middle section of a bone in the body, positioned between the two wider ends where joints form.
The doctor studied the X-ray to check the shaft of the femur for hairline cracks.
shaft of the [bone name]
A clean break across the shaft of a bone heals faster than a joint injury.
Surgeons inserted a metal rod through the shaft of the tibia to support the leg.
Devika read that the femoral shaft is the strongest part of the human thigh bone.
文法句型
shaft of [bone name]
[bone name] shaft
用法筆記
Used in medical and anatomical writing. The 'shaft' of a bone is also called the 'diaphysis'. Common in compound form with the adjective naming the bone ('femoral shaft', 'tibial shaft').
5. a narrow beam of light that shines into a dark space, typically through a small
a narrow beam of light that shines into a dark space, typically through a small opening such as a window, door, or crack.
A shaft of sunlight fell across the dusty wooden floor of the old library.
shaft of sunlight
The lighthouse sent a powerful shaft of light across the ocean every ten seconds.
shaft of light — standard collocation
Andrew opened the cellar door; a thin shaft of light lit the stone steps.
In the dark theatre, a shaft of light from a projector lit the white screen.
文法句型
shaft of light
shaft of sunlight/moonlight
用法筆記
Often used with a preceding adjective describing the light source ('a golden shaft of sunlight', 'a cold shaft of moonlight'). The pattern 'shaft of + [light word]' is fixed.
常見錯誤
6. a long, narrow opening that goes straight down inside a structure or into the ea
a long, narrow opening that goes straight down inside a structure or into the earth, built to hold a lift, let air flow, or reach minerals underground.
The elevator shaft was dark and completely empty when the power went out.
compound: elevator shaft / lift shaft
Miners worked deep inside the shaft, digging for coal twelve hours each day.
Femi looked down the ventilation shaft but could not see the bottom at all.
The building's lift shaft runs from the basement all the way to the top floor.
Workers dug a new mine shaft through solid rock to reach the silver deposit.
文法句型
[purpose] shaft
shaft runs from [A] to [B]
用法筆記
Very common in compound nouns: 'lift shaft', 'elevator shaft', 'mine shaft', 'ventilation shaft'. The preposition 'down' often follows when describing movement through it.
常見錯誤
7. a witty remark aimed at criticizing or attacking a person or an idea
a witty remark aimed at criticizing or attacking a person or an idea
During the debate, Brooke aimed a sharp shaft at her opponent's record on education.
aim/direct + shaft + at + target — standard pattern
Apinya's latest article contained several shafts directed at dishonest city officials.
Ziad fired one last shaft at his rival as he walked off the debate stage.
The columnist's shaft about the mayor's hairpiece made the whole audience laugh.
Arjun took the shaft as a playful joke, but his friend was clearly offended.
- compliment
a positive remark instead of a critical one
- praise
expression of approval rather than attack
文法句型
shaft + at + target
aim/direct + shaft + at + target
用法筆記
Often followed by 'at' to indicate the target of the remark. Common in political commentary and journalism.
常見錯誤
8. a situation in which someone is dealt with badly or cheated, often by a person o
a situation in which someone is dealt with badly or cheated, often by a person or system in power
Small businesses in the area got the shaft when the new shopping mall opened.
get the shaft — fixed idiom meaning to be treated unfairly
Eitan felt he got the shaft when his manager took credit for his research.
Yuki said the whole neighborhood got the shaft after the city cut the bus services.
Pim got the shaft — she planned the whole event alone, but her partner got the promotion.
The factory workers say they got the shaft when management lowered their wages without warning.
- raw deal
slightly less harsh; focuses on receiving an unfair arrangement
- mistreatment
more formal, can describe any kind of bad handling
- injustice
broader — refers to a lack of fairness in any situation
- fair treatment
being dealt with justly
- fair shake
idiomatic; getting an equal opportunity
文法句型
get the shaft
give + someone + the shaft
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the fixed expressions 'get the shaft' or 'give [someone] the shaft.' The definite article 'the' is required. Rarely used outside these idioms.
常見錯誤
9. an offensive and informal word for the male sex organ
an offensive and informal word for the male sex organ
The comedy film was rated 18+ for using crude terms like 'shaft' repeatedly.
vulgar slang — inappropriate for formal or polite conversation
Élise told the teenagers to stop using 'shaft' as a joke in class.
Amelia's grandfather was shocked to hear the word 'shaft' used on a daytime television show.
The dictionary entry warns that 'shaft' is considered a vulgar and offensive expression.
Adisa told his younger brother not to use the rude word 'shaft' at school.
用法筆記
Considered offensive and coarse. Not appropriate for formal, academic, or polite social settings. Equivalent in strength to other vulgar anatomical slang terms.