Today's Word

Yesterday's Word

Archives

FAQ

Discuss
Email this
Feedback
RSS/XML
Permalink

A.Word.A.Day--heft

This week's theme: short words.

heft (heft) noun

1. Weight; heaviness.

2. Importance.

verb tr.

1. To test the weight of something by lifting.

2. To heave or hoist.

[After heave, on the pattern of cleave/cleft, leave/left, thieve/theft, weave/weft, etc. From Middle English heven (to lift, take).]

See more usage examples of heft in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.

-Anu Garg (garg AT wordsmith.org)

"Turning 40 once meant winding down, but for thousands of Canadian women, it means winding up: hefting barbells, hitting the books, embracing whole new lives." Deborah Jones; Middle-aged? Who, Me?; Chatelaine (Toronto, Canada); Apr 1, 1998.

X-Bonus