graft´er

graft¹ «graft, grahft», verb, noun.

–v.t.

1. to put (a shoot or bud from one tree or plant) into a slit in another tree or plant, so that it will grow there as a part of it; engraft.

2. to produce or improve (a fruit, flower, grain, or other plant product) by grafting.

3. to do grafting on (a plant or tree): »

No one has been able to graft together trees belonging to quite distinct families (Charles Darwin).

4. to transfer (a piece of skin or bone) from one part of the body to another, or to a new body, so that it will grow there permanently.

5. Figurative. to insert or fix as if by grafting: »

to graft a pagan custom upon Christian institutions. No Art can be grafted with success on another art (Sir Joshua Reynolds).

–v.i.

1. to insert a graft or grafts.

2. to become grafted.

╂[< earlier graffen < noun]

–n.

1. a shoot or bud used in grafting. A graft from a fine apple tree may be put on a worthless one to improve it.

2. the place on a tree or plant where the shoot or bud is inserted.

3. a tree or plant that has had a shoot or bud grafted on it.

4. the act or process of grafting.

5. a piece of skin, bone, etc., transferred from one place to another in grafting.

╂[alteration of graff < Old French grafe scion, stylus < Latin graphium stylus < Greek grapheîon < gráphein write (from the similarity of shape)]

–graft´er, noun.

graft² «graft, grahft», noun, verb.

–n.

1. the taking of money dishonestly in connection with city or government business; political dishonesty, corruption, and the like: »

The crooked building inspector was guilty of accepting bribes and other forms of graft.

2. a method of getting money dishonestly.

3. money dishonestly taken.

–v.i., v.t.

to make or get money dishonestly through one's job, especially in political positions.

╂[American English; origin uncertain]

–graft´er, noun.

graft³ «graft, grahft», noun.

1. the depth of earth that can be thrown up at one time with a spade.

2. a kind of spade, used in digging drains.

╂[perhaps < Scandinavian (compare Old Icelandic groftr action of digging)]