hefter

noun

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.

to heave; hoist.

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Hefter is always a great word to know.

So is flibbertigibbet. Does it mean:

a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.

a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare.

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Origin:
1550–60; heave + -t, variant of -th¹

Related forms

heft·er, noun

un·heft·ed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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World English Dictionary

heft (hɛft)

—vb
1.	to assess the weight of (something) by lifting
2.	to lift

—n
3.	(US) weight
4.	(US) the main part

[C19: probably from heave, by analogy with thieve, theft, cleave, cleft]

'hefter

—n

heft (hɛft)

—vb
1.	to assess the weight of (something) by lifting
2.	to lift

—n
3.	(US) weight
4.	(US) the main part

[C19: probably from heave, by analogy with thieve, theft, cleave, cleft]

'hefter

—n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

heft

c.1445, "weight, heaviness," from heave on analogy of thieve/thief, weave/weft, etc.; also infl. by heft, obsolete pp. of heave. The verb meaning "to lift" is first recorded c.1661. Hefty is from 1867.

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