hilt

/hɪlt/

/hɪlt/

Other forms: hilts

A hilt is a knife, sword, or dagger's handle. When you're learning to sword fight for your role in a Shakespeare drama, the first thing you'll learn is to hold onto the hilt.

The hilt of a sword is sometimes topped by a "pommel," an enlarged section of the handle, and protected by a "guard," which keeps your hand safe from your opponent's blade. The word hilt can also mean "totally" in the colloquial phrase "up to the hilt," as in: "That country's military is armed up to the hilt," or "They own lots of homes, but they're mortgaged up to the hilt."

Definitions of hilt

1. noun

   the handle of a sword or dagger
   types:

   basket hilt

   a hilt with a basket-shaped guard for the hand

   type of:

   grip, handgrip, handle, hold

   the appendage to an object that is designed to be held in order to use or move it