Word.ws English Dictionary

jackshaft

jackshaft noun: a common mechanical component used to transfer or synchronize rotational force in a machine.

Noun

jackshaft (plural jackshafts)

  1. A common mechanical component used to transfer or synchronize rotational force in a machine.
    Synonyms:
    countershaft
  2. A wheelless axle used to turn the wheels of a locomotive.
    • Final drive is by reduction gears on the jackshaft, and through flycranks and rods to the wheels.1950 October, “S.R. Diesel-Mechanical Shunter”, in Railway Magazine, page 692

Verb

jackshaft (third-person singular simple present jackshafts, present participle jackshafting, simple past and past participle jackshafted)

  1. To transfer or synchronize rotational force by means of a jackshaft.
    Synonyms:
    countershaft

Synonyms of jackshaft

Forms of jackshaft

Noun
pluraljackshafts
Verb
third-person singular presentjackshafts
present participlejackshafting
past participlejackshafted
pastjackshafted

Origin of jackshaft

From jack + shaft.

Questions about jackshaft

What does jackshaft mean?
Jackshaft means a common mechanical component used to transfer or synchronize rotational force in a machine.
What part of speech is jackshaft?
Jackshaft can be a noun or a verb.
What is the plural of jackshaft?
The plural of jackshaft is jackshafts.

Words near jackshaft in the dictionary

  1. jacksaw
  2. jacksaws
  3. Jacksboro
  4. jackscrew
  5. jackscrews
  6. jackshaft
  7. jackshafted
  8. jackshafting
  9. jackshafts
  10. jackshay
  11. jackshays

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: jackshaft (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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