Shaft is reasonably common and has more than one meaning. As a noun it can refer to a man made opening. For instance “The elevator doors opened, but the elevator wasn’t there, we looked down into the long elevator shaft.” It can also refer to something long and typically narrow like the shaft of an arrow or spear. It can also refer to rays of light like you might see on a cloudy day. As a verb it can be used as slang for treating someone harshly for instance “giving someone the shaft” or as vulgar slang for sex.