rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryhaftTool handle
noun

haft

HAFT/hæft/

The handle of a knife, axe, or similar tool.

The axe's long wooden haft connects securely to its steel head.

A single axe with its long wooden haft dominating the composition, its fitted steel head fully visible at one end.
Etymology
haftOld Englishhandle

Old English hæft already meant a tool’s handle. It is related to a word for a fetter or bond through the shared idea of seizing: the handle is the part seized in the hand.

More examples

  • The knife has a carved bone haft.
  • A crack in the hammer’s haft makes it unsafe to use.
  • The toolmaker smooths the new hafts with sandpaper.

Forms

haft · hafts

Similar words

handle
A broader term for the gripping part of any object.
hilt
Specifically the handle of a sword, dagger, or similar weapon.