Agricultural implement with the top of the handle near the shaft
I believe the answer is:
harrow
'agricultural implement' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'top of the handle near the shaft' is the wordplay.
'top of' suggests taking the first letters.
'near the' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'shaft' becomes 'arrow' (I've seen this before).
The first letter of 'handle' is 'h'.
'h'+'arrow'='HARROW'
'with the' is the link.
(Other definitions for harrow that I've seen before include "Agricultural implement - cause pain to (feelings)" , "Spiked frame for breaking and levelling soil" , "English public school - farm implement" , "Agricultural frame for breaking up soil" , "Torment (at public school?)" .)