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Meaning of hilt in English:

hilt

Pronunciation /hɪlt/

See synonyms for hilt

Translate hilt into Spanish

noun

  • The handle of a weapon or tool, especially a sword, dagger, or knife.

    ‘Quad's hands gripped sword hilts, cueing Mack to bring his rifle to a firing position.’
    • ‘Lodge put his sunglasses on and stood up, his hand gripped around the hilt of his weapon.’
    • ‘Veon frowned but said nothing, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword tightly.’
    • ‘The five members of the Black Handles had their hands placed on the hilts of their swords or daggers.’
    • ‘Thron followed, and both kept loose grips on the hilts of their swords.’
    • ‘They saw Rurik shift his grip on his sword hilt and Banor stretch his right arm, ready to use magic.’
    • ‘He replied, his stance changing, his left hand firmly gripping the hilt of his sword.’
    • ‘He firmly gripped the hilt of his long sword and shouted brief words of refusal.’
    • ‘His hand griped the hilt of his sword, the blade drawn but down so the point traced a line in the snow.’
    • ‘She had a tight grip on the hilt of her sword and it tightened with every punch Hawk received.’
    • ‘His left hand grasped the hilt of his sword and his right hand tightened at his side.’
    • ‘The last thing Jack remembered was gripping the hilt of his sword before he was knocked out.’
    • ‘He grasped the handle of the shield and the hilt of the sword, and felt himself being pushed along.’
    • ‘I let the arrow fly just as Blaise gripped the hilt of her knife and it landed solidly in the wooden sign.’
    • ‘Angel gripped the hilt of the dagger, still not certain whether he was friend or foe.’
    • ‘His hands were steady, and his grip strong on the hilt of his sword.’
    • ‘Some clutched the hilts of their swords, others dirks or bows.’
    • ‘Her left hand closed around an invisible scabbard and her right hand clutched the hilt of a sword.’
    • ‘She gripped the weapon by its hilt and its sheathe and carefully lifted it down from its hooks.’
    • ‘Hanging at her waist, the hilt of a dagger protruded from its lacquered wooden scabbard.’
    handle, haft, handgrip, grip, shaft, shank, stock, helve
    View synonyms

Phrases

    to the hilt

    • As much as possible; to the utmost degree.

      ‘the estate was mortgaged to the hilt’
      • ‘I'll back him up to the hilt’
      • ‘Mortgaged up to the hilt, the builder has not declared any intention to bid for the company.’
      • ‘Once again, Middle Britain is mortgaged to the hilt, spurred by the lowest interest rates in 38 years.’
      • ‘He has mortgaged his country to the hilt for military equipment.’
      • ‘The reality is that wind power is grossly uneconomic electricity, subsidised up to the hilt.’
      • ‘Coun Brian Jennings backed us up to the hilt and said he was going to complain to the Chief Planning Officer about this.’
      • ‘But worse than that, we were arming these maniacs up to the hilt!’
      • ‘You can't laugh about something if you're buried up to the hilt in it.’
      • ‘And I moved away, got educated up to the hilt, started publishing, lecturing.’
      • ‘Meanwhile it proved to be a day out for some children who enjoyed the strike and the traffic restrictions up to the hilt.’
      • ‘Consumers have borrowed up to the hilt, leaving little room for manoeuvre should times get seriously tough.’

Origin

Old English hilt, hilte, of Germanic origin.