/ʃɑ:ft; [US] ʃæft; ʃæft/
n
1 [C]
(a) long slender stem of an arrow or a spear 箭杆; 矛杆.
(b) [C] (arch 古) arrow; spear 箭; 矛.
2 [C] ~ (of sth) (fig 比喻) remark intended to wound or stimulate 旨在伤人或刺激人的话
*shafts of malice 恶意挖苦人的话
* her brilliant shafts of wit 她的机智犀利的词锋.
3 [C] long handle of an axe or other tool, or eg of a golf-club 长柄（如斧、高尔夫球杆等用具的）.
4 [C] either of the two bars or poles between which a horse is harnessed to pull a cart, etc 辕; 辕子.
5 [C] main part of a column, between the base and the capital 柱身. => illus at column 见column插图.
6 [C] (often in compounds 常用以构成复合词) bar or rod joining parts of a machine or transmitting power in a machine （机器的）连杆, 传动轴, 旋转轴
*a `crankshaft
* a `drive-shaft.7 [C] (often in compounds 常用以构成复合词) long narrow (usu vertical) space, eg for a lift to move up and down in, for entry into a mine, or for ventilation 通道（通常指垂直的, 如为电梯、矿井升降机等上下移动的, 或通风用的）
*a `lift-shaft 升降机井
* a `mine-shaft 井筒
* sink a shaft 挖竖井. Cf 参看 gallery 6.
8 the shaft [sing] (US infml 口) unfair treatment; trickery 苛待; 诡计
*give sb/get the shaft 亏待某人[受到亏待]
* We were given the shaft, and lost a lot of money. 我们上了大当, 损失了很多钱.
9 [C] ~ (of sth) long thin beam (of light, etc) （光线等的）束
*a shaft of light/sunlight/moonlight/lightning 一道光[阳光/月光/闪光].

v [Tn] (US infml 口) treat (sb) unfairly or harshly; cheat 苛待（某人）; 欺骗.