Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The handle of a weapon or tool.
  • idiom (to the hilt) To the limit; completely.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun That part of a sword, dagger, or similar weapon which affords a grasp for the hand, and usually a protection for it as well.
  • noun A sword or foil.
  • noun The handle of a shield.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A handle; especially, the handle of a sword, dagger, or the like.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The handle of a sword, consisting of grip, guard, and pommel, designed to facilitate use of the blade and afford protection to the hand.
  • noun The base of the penis
  • verb transitive To provide with a hilt.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the handle of a sword or dagger

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Old English.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Old English hilt, hilte.

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Examples

  • The hilt is cast metal with antique nickel plate and leather wrap.

    Needle Is Here! grrm 2010

  • We borrowed to the hilt from the Chinese, and we couldn't even fight the war without the Chinese, but the market is telling us we can't continue to print and create money out of thin air to fight this war and run the domestic welfare state because it will ruin the dollar, and that's what the dollar is telling us today.

    CNN Transcript Jan 6, 2008 2008

  • The emerald upon his turban was as large as a man's eye, and his sword hilt was studded with turquoise and pearls and the hilt was a blazon of gold.

    The Palace of Darkened Windows Mary Hastings Bradley

  • Brydon knew that in time the blood would seep down onto his sword hilt and make the grip slippery.

    The Gauntlet Thrown Chapter Thirty Seven xcpublishing 2009

  • Number one, he's a frustrated jock, who played the old “if you can't do it, talk about it” bit of wish fulfillment to the ever-lovin 'hilt.

    Archive 2009-11-01 2009

  • The people who support Obama to the hilt are the same people who ignore every action he actually takes and cling to the notion that his ‘aspirations’ and stated goals are all that matter.

    Matthew Yglesias » The Right’s Growth Record 2010

  • Number one, he's a frustrated jock, who played the old “if you can't do it, talk about it” bit of wish fulfillment to the ever-lovin 'hilt.

    Sacked! 2009

  • So all of us who were prudent and saved instead of borrowing to the hilt are about to be well and truly shafted by a bout of hyper-inflation.

    Who's for hyper-inflation? Not a sheep 2009

  • An ultimate Washington insider to the sword hilt, he was the catalyst for the Plame Affair, which for my money (follow the money!) was the most fascinating real-life crime mystery ever, with all the classic elements: spies, traitors, journalists sworn to protect their scumbag sources, smoking guns, powerful people up to and including the president of the United States, a sexy blond lady as the victim.

    Robert D. Novak Is in the Book 2010

  • An ultimate Washington insider to the sword hilt, he was the catalyst for the Plame Affair, which for my money (follow the money!) was the most fascinating real-life crime mystery ever, with all the classic elements: spies, traitors, journalists sworn to protect their scumbag sources, smoking guns, powerful people up to and including the president of the United States, a sexy blond lady as the victim.

    Scott Shrake: Robert D. Novak Is in the Book 2010

Comments

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  • "A chain used to secure something, especially a part of the dress and personal equipment, as, in the middle ages, the hilt of the sword to the breastplate or other part of the body-armor, or at the present day a watch, brooch, or bracelet."

    September 11, 2016

  • The base of the penis

    September 11, 2016

  • Old word for a hog (animal). Survey of English Dialects

    edited by Michael V. Barry

    January 12, 2018