graft

¹

[ graft, grahft ]

noun

1. Horticulture.
   1. a bud, shoot, or scion of a plant inserted in a groove, slit, or the like in a stem or stock of another plant in which it continues to grow.
   2. the plant resulting from such an operation; the united stock and scion.
   3. the place where the scion is inserted.
2. Surgery. a portion of living tissue surgically transplanted from one part of an individual to another, or from one individual to another, for its adhesion and growth.
3. an act of grafting.

verb (used with object)

1. to insert (a graft) into a tree or other plant; insert a scion of (one plant) into another plant.
2. to cause (a plant) to reproduce through grafting.
3. Surgery. to transplant (a portion of living tissue, as of skin or bone) as a graft.
4. to attach as if by grafting:

   an absurdity grafted onto an otherwise coherent body of thought.

5. Nautical. to cover (a rope) with a weaving of rope yarn.

verb (used without object)

1. to insert scions from one plant into another.
2. to become grafted.

   Synonyms: transplant, implant, adhere, join

graft

²

[ graft, grahft ]

noun

1. the acquisition of money, gain, or advantage by dishonest, unfair, or illegal means, especially through the abuse of one's position or influence in politics, business, etc.
2. a particular instance, method, or means of thus acquiring gain or advantage.
3. the gain or advantage acquired.
4. British Slang. work; labor.

verb (used with object)

1. to obtain by graft.

verb (used without object)

1. to practice graft.

graft

¹

/ ɡrɑːft /

noun

1. work (esp in the phrase hard graft )
2. 1. the acquisition of money, power, etc, by dishonest or unfair means, esp by taking advantage of a position of trust
   2. something gained in this way, such as profit from government business
   3. a payment made to a person profiting by such a practice

verb

1. intr to work
2. to acquire by or practise graft

graft

²

/ ɡrɑːft /

noun

1. horticulture
   1. a piece of plant tissue (the scion), normally a stem, that is made to unite with an established plant (the stock), which supports and nourishes it
   2. the plant resulting from the union of scion and stock
   3. the point of union between the scion and the stock
2. surgery a piece of tissue or an organ transplanted from a donor or from the patient's own body to an area of the body in need of the tissue
3. the act of joining one thing to another by or as if by grafting

verb

1. horticulture
   1. to induce (a plant or part of a plant) to unite with another part or (of a plant or part of a plant) to unite in this way
   2. to produce (fruit, flowers, etc) by this means or (of fruit, flowers, etc) to grow by this means
2. to transplant (tissue) or (of tissue) to be transplanted
3. to attach or incorporate or become attached or incorporated

   to graft a happy ending onto a sad tale

graft

/ grăft /

Noun

1. A shoot or bud of one plant that is inserted into or joined to the stem, branch, or root of another plant so that the two grow together as a single plant. Grafts are used to strengthen or repair plants, create dwarf trees, produce seedless fruit, and increase fruit yields without requiring plants to mature from seeds.
2. A piece of body tissue that is surgically removed and then transplanted or implanted to replace a damaged part or compensate for a defect.
3. See also allograft

Verb

1. To join a graft to another plant.
2. To transplant or implant a graft.

graft

1. In politics, the illegal acceptance of bribes by government officials.

Derived Forms

• ˈgrafter, noun
• ˈgrafter, noun
• ˈgrafting, noun

Other Words From

• graft·er noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of graft¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; earlier graff, Middle English graffe, craffe, from Old French graife, greffe, graffe, from Late Latin graphium “hunting knife” ( Latin: “stylus”), from Greek grapheîon “pencil, paint brush,”derivative of gráphein “to write”; so called from the resemblance of the point of a (cleft) graft to a stylus; English excrescent t as in against ( def )

Origin of graft²

First recorded in 1855–60; perhaps special use of graft ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of graft¹

C19: of uncertain origin

Origin of graft²

C15: from Old French graffe, from Medieval Latin graphium, from Latin: stylus, from Greek grapheion, from graphein to write

Example Sentences

The vice-president, who himself has been convicted of corruption in France and has had lavish assets seized in various countries, wants to be seen as the man cracking down on graft and wrong-doing at home.

From BBC

Their inability to find the end game to back up promising performances and hard graft with results has become a worrying trend.

From BBC

He needed several skin graft surgeries and was left with post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as needing ongoing physiotherapy.

From BBC

Because the fast-food company is so large and multifaceted, and because it means something a little different to a lot of people, politicians can graft whatever the topic of the day is to the company, from concerns over public health and corporate power to questions about the minimum wage.

From Salon

Working people are "strivers who graft", according to the chancellor.

From BBC

Related Words

• affix
• implant
• propagate