Shaft may refer to:

Rotating machine elements

Shaft (mechanical engineering) In mechanical engineering, a shaft is a rotating machine element, usually circular in cross section, which is used to transmit power from one part to another, or from a machine which produces power to a machine which absorbs power. Types They ar ...

, a rotating machine element used to transmit power *

Line shaft A line shaft is a power-driven rotating shaft for power transmission that was used extensively from the Industrial Revolution until the early 20th century. Prior to the widespread use of electric motors small enough to be connected directly to ...

, a power transmission system *

Drive shaft A drive shaft, driveshaft, driving shaft, tailshaft (Australian English), propeller shaft (prop shaft), or Cardan shaft (after Girolamo Cardano) is a component for transmitting mechanical power (physics), power, torque, and rotation, usually ...

, a shaft for transferring torque *

Axle An axle or axletree is a central shaft for a rotation, rotating wheel and axle, wheel or gear. On wheeled vehicles, the axle may be fixed to the wheels, rotating with them, or fixed to the vehicle, with the wheels rotating around the axle. In ...

, a shaft around which one or more wheels rotate

Vertical narrow passages

Elevator shaft An elevator (American English) or lift (Commonwealth English) is a machine that vertically transports people or freight between levels. They are typically powered by electric motors that drive traction cables and counterweight systems such ...

, a vertical passage housing a lift or elevator *

Ventilation shaft In subterranean civil engineering, ventilation shafts, also known as airshafts or vent shafts, are vertical passages used in mines and tunnels to move fresh air underground, and to remove stale air. In architecture, an airshaft, also known ...

, a vertical passage used in mines and tunnels to move fresh air underground, and to remove stale air *

Shaft (civil engineering) file:access shaft - geograph.org.uk - 6506414.jpg, A shaft equipped with ladder rungs for personnel access In civil engineering a shaft is an underground vertical or inclined passageway. Shafts are often entered through a manhole and closed by ...

, an underground vertical or inclined passageway *

Pitch (ascent/descent) In climbing, a pitch is a section of a climbing route between two belay points (or belay stations), and is most commonly related to the task of lead climbing (going up), but is also related to abseiling (going down). Climbing on routes that re ...

, a significant underground vertical space in caving terminology *

Shaft mining Shaft mining or shaft sinking is the action of excavating a mine shaft from the top down, where there is initially no access to the bottom. Shaft (civil engineering), Shallow shafts, typically sunk for civil engineering projects, differ greatly ...

, the method of excavating a vertical or near-vertical tunnel from the top down, where there is initially no access to the bottom * Shafting, illicit travelling through shafts

Long narrow rigid bodies

* The body of a

column A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member ...

between the capital and the pedestal, or the column itself * Type of long

handle (grip) A handle is a part of, or an attachment to, an object that allows it to be grasped and manipulated by hand. The design of each type of handle involves substantial ergonomic issues, even where these are dealt with intuitively or by following ...

of hand-tools *

Shaft (golf) The shaft of a golf club is the long, tapered tube which connects the golfer's hands to the club head. While hundreds of different designs exist, the primary purpose of the golf shaft remains the same: to provide the player with a way to generate ...

, the long, tapered tube or rod which connects the golfer’s hands to the club head * Staff, various applications * The

rachis In biology, a rachis (from the [], "backbone, spine") is a main axis or "shaft". In zoology and microbiology In vertebrates, ''rachis'' can refer to the series of articulated vertebrae, which encase the spinal cord. In this case the ''rachi ...

of a feather, used in the name of certain species of birds

Fiction

* ''Shaft'' (franchise), a media franchise involving novels, comics, TV, film ** ''Shaft'' (novel), 1970 novel by Ernest Tidyman about an African-American private detective ** ''Shaft'' (1971 film), a film based on the novel *** ''Shaft'' (song), theme song from the original film, serving as the theme for the entire franchise ** ''Shaft'' (2000 film), a direct sequel/spin-off of the 1971 film, released in 2000, and fourth film in the series *** ''Shaft'' (2000 soundtrack) ** ''Shaft'' (2019 film), a direct sequel to the 2000 film and fifth film in the series ** ''Shaft'' (TV series), a 1973-1974 series of TV movies ** ''Shaft'' (Dynamite Entertainment), a comic book series based on the character John Shaft **

John Shaft John Shaft is a fictional private investigator created by author/screenwriter Ernest Tidyman for the 1970 novel of the same name. He was portrayed by Richard Roundtree in the original 1971 film and in its four sequels—'' Shaft's Big Score!'' ...

, the titular character of the franchise * Shaft (''Castlevania''), the dark priest from the ''Castlevania'' video game series * Shaft (Marvel Comics), a Marvel Comics ninja character *

Shaft (Image Comics) Shaft (Jeff Terrel) is a superhero created by writer/artist Rob Liefeld. Liefeld created the character for his Extreme Studios as the leader of superhero team Youngblood (comics), Youngblood. Fictional character biography Jeff Terrel is an unde ...

, a comic book character created by Rob Liefeld for his comic ''Youngblood'' * ''Down'' (film), a 2001 horror film also known as ''The Shaft''

Music

* Shaft (rave group), a UK dance music act which had a 1991 hit with "Roobarb and Custard" sampling vintage children's television programme ''Roobarb'' *

Shaft (British electronic duo) Shaft are an English electronic music production duo, known for their covers and remixes of " (Mucho Mambo) Sway" and " Mambo Italiano". The former entered and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart in August 1999, then reached number ...

, a dance music act which had a 1999 hit with a cover-remix of "(Mucho Mambo) Sway" * Shaft (New Zealand band), a New Zealand indie band * Shaft (club), a blues and jazz club in Istanbul, Turkey * ''Shaft'' (Isaac Hayes album), the soundtrack for the film of the same name, recorded by Isaac Hayes ** " Theme from ''Shaft''", performed by Isaac Hayes * ''Shaft'' (Bernard Purdie album), a 1971 jazz album featuring a cover of the above track

Places

* Borden Shaft, Maryland, formerly called Shaft * Shaft County, an administrative division of Gīlan Province in Iran * Shaft, Iran, the capital of Shaft County * Shaft, Bushehr, a village and island in Bushehr Province, Iran

Other

Shaft (company) Shaft Inc. (stylized as SHAFT; , Hepburn romanization, Hepburn: ), also known as Shaft Animation Studio, is a Japanese animation studio headquartered in Suginami, Tokyo, and founded in 1975. Since 2004, the studio's productions and staff have bee ...

, a Japanese animation studio * Penile shaft, a part of the penis * Clitoral shaft, a part of the clitoris *

Diaphysis The diaphysis (: diaphyses) is the main or midsection (shaft) of a long bone. It is made up of cortical bone and usually contains bone marrow and adipose tissue (fat). It is a middle tubular part composed of compact bone which surrounds a centr ...

, shaft of a long bone {{disambiguation