Word: heft Part of Speech: noun Etymology: The noun is derived from Late Middle English heft (“heaviness; something heavy, a weight”), from heven (“to lift, raise”) + -th (suffix denoting a condition, quality, state of being, etc., forming nouns), by analogy with the development of weft from weven (modern English weave), etc. (also compare words like cleft from cleave, and theft from thieve, where the development occurred in Old English or earlier languages). The English word is analysable as heave + -t (suffix forming nouns from verbs). The verb is probably derived from the noun. Pronunciation: /hɛft/, /heft/ 1. The feel of the weight of something; heaviness. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: A high quality hammer should have good balance and heft. Example: But Durindan at laſt fell vvith ſuch heft, / Full on the circle of Rogeros ſhield, / That halfe vvay through the Argent byrd it cleft, / And pierſt the core of male [i.e., mail] that vvas vvithin, / And found a paſſage to the verie skin. 2. The force exerted by an object due to gravitation; weight. Labels: US, countable, dialectal, uncountable Example: The man had been carried out of the yard while the fire was still burning; […] Public opinion was much divided, some holding that it would go hard with a man of his age and heft; but the common belief seemed to be that he was of that sort "as'd take a deal o'killin'," and that he would be none the worse for such a fall as that. Example: "Look at the heft of 'n [a baby]," said the proud father, "entirely drags ye down, Miss Sybil, 'e do." 3. Graveness, seriousness; gravity. Labels: countable, figuratively, uncountable Example: He's got a good voice, and reads well; but come to a sermon—wal, ain't no gret heft in't. 4. Importance, influence; weight. Labels: countable, figuratively, uncountable Example: Put more baldly, the reason why Republicans and British Conservatives started giving each other copies of Atlas Shrugged in the 80s was that [Ayn] Rand seemed to grant intellectual heft to the prevailing ethos of the time. 5. The greater part of something; the bulk, the mass. Labels: US, countable, dated, informal, uncountable Example: The turkey's nest was islanded with a fragrant swath,—the "heft" of the crop noted and rejoiced over,—[…] Example: He run to South America or somewheres, taking the heft of the firm's money with him. 6. An act of lifting; a lift. Labels: UK, countable, dialectal, uncountable Example: Deigning no answer, the sturdy parson seized the bigger of the two ash staves, and laying the butt of the other for a fulcrum, gave the stuck wheel such a powerful heft, that the whole cart rattled, and the crates began to dance. Example: It was a tremendous heft to raise the boat on to the wall and push it over, but somehow she managed it; […] 7. An act of heaving (lifting with difficulty); an instance of violent exertion or straining. Labels: countable, obsolete, uncountable Example: [I]f one preſent / Th'abhor'd Ingredient [a spider in a drink] to his eye, make knovvne / Hovv he hath drunke, he cracks his gorge, his ſides / VVith violent Hefts: I haue drunke, and ſeene the Spider. Example: The socket of the rim lock tore off to one good heft of the shoulder, and we were in.