From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishhilthilt /hɪlt/ noun [countable] 1 PMWthe handle of a sword or knife, where the blade is attached2 → to the hilt
Examples from the Corpus
hilt• Weighing four pounds, it has survived the centuries well, still bearing traces of gilding on the brass hilt.• He also wore a typical bright blue cloak, and always carried a sword with a gilded hilt.• Burun attempted to draw the blade, but there was some kind of locking device at the hilt.• And so I divvied up the company into manageable pieces and told these executives to go play the game to the hilt.• Any man worthy of the name must seize his opportunity when it came and exploit it to the hilt.• Environmental organisations have worked that one to the hilt.Origin hilt Old English 