The Oxford Thesaurus An A-Z Dictionary of Synonyms - shaft n.

1) pole, rod, staff, stick, stem, shank, handle, helve; pillar, column, post, stanchion, upright: The shaft of the harpoon splintered as the whale suddenly plunged downwards. These shafts help support the upper storey. 2) beam, ray, gleam, streak, pencil: At exactly noon on the winter solstice a shaft of light struck the altar at the centre of the stone circle. 3) thrust, barb, sting, dart, gibe or jibe, barb, Colloq slap (in the face) , knock, put-down: After the episode in the restaurant, Barbara had to suffer the shafts of her colleagues and their teasing. 4) mine-shaft, tunnel, adit, well, pit; air-shaft, duct, flue: How many men went down the shaft in the first shift? The screen over the ventilating shaft must be kept clean.