heft
Americannoun
-
weight; heaviness.
It was a rather flimsy chair, without much heft to it.
-
significance or importance.
-
Archaic. the bulk or main part.
verb (used with object)
-
to test the weight of by lifting and balancing.
He hefted the spear for a few moments, and then flung it at the foe.
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to heave; hoist.
verb
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to assess the weight of (something) by lifting
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to lift
noun
-
weight
-
the main part
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
have heftedperfect
-
has heftedperfect 3rd person singular
-
have been heftingperfect progressive
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are heftingprogressive
-
am heftingprogressive 1st person singular
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is heftingprogressive 3rd person singular
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heftssingular 3rd person
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has been heftingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
heftingparticiple
Past
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had heftedperfect
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was heftingprogressive singular
-
had been heftingperfect progressive
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were heftingprogressive plural
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heftedsimple
-
heftedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of heft
Explanation
Heft is the bulk or weight of a person or thing. You might shift the heft of that huge bag of dog food you just bought over to your left arm while you use your right hand to open the door. The heft of your big suitcase might make you question the wisdom of packing so many books. You can use heft as a verb, too — you could move the books into your backpack and then heft it back onto your shoulder. Heft comes from the verb heave, "lift with effort," modeled on verb/noun combinations like "thieve" and "theft" or "weave" and "weft."
Vocabulary lists containing heft
"The Odyssey," Vocabulary from Part 2 of the epic poem
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Prisoner B-3087
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Wolf Hollow
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“There’s a lot of nostalgia for what the mall used to be,” Heft said.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2023
Robert G. Heft, a 17-year-old high school student at the time, was responsible for the design.
From Fox News • Jun. 14, 2021
“It’s ridiculous,” said Marc Heft, a health care recruiter attending a “Vietgone” performance.
From New York Times • Nov. 18, 2018
Thick hunks of Heft Co sourdough are served with jam from cult LA restaurant Sqirl.
From The Guardian • Mar. 15, 2017
"What are you skulking here for, Heft?" demanded the sergeant angrily.
From With Haig on the Somme by Webb, Archibald
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
