n. [A. S. and Engl. hilt], the boss or knob at the end of a sword’s hilt; also the guard between the hilt and blade; the former being sometimes distinguished as the eptra or efra hjalt (hinder or upper, accordingly as the sword was held), and the latter as fremra h., the fore part or guard, where blade and hilt join; or else the plur. hjölt is used; í því gékk hjaltið af sverðinu hit efra ok hljóp þá brandrinn fram ór meðalkafla umgörðinni, Sturl. iii. 283; hjölt ok meðalkafli, Þiðr. 114; eftra hjaltið, opp. to fremra hjaltið, Karl. 124, Korm. ch. 9, Ld. ch. 57, Eb. ch. 13, and Gísl. 72, vide gadd-hjalt, cp. Hkv. Hjörv. 9, Sdm. 6; hjölt ór gulli, Akv. 7; sverð með gulligum hjöltum, Fms. i. 15; nema hjöltin við neðra gómi, Edda 20; sverðit brotnaði undir hjaltinu, Nj. 43, Fms. ii. 484, Gullþ. 18; skaltú nú vera þegn hans er þú tókt við sverði hans at hjöltunum, Fms. i. 15; Helgi hnauð hjalt á sverð, Nj. 66; hann leggr sverðinu á þessum sama flekk ok fellr á hjöltin, Fb. i. 258. ☞ The Engl. hilt is in Icel, called meðal-kafli, ‘middle-piece:’ the Engl. word is derived from the Scandin., but in a different sense.