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Graft

 - 11 dictionary results

graft

1[graft, grahft]
–noun
1. Horticulture.
a. 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.
b. the plant resulting from such an operation; the united stock and scion.
c. 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)
4. to insert (a graft) into a tree or other plant; insert a scion of (one plant) into another plant.
5. to cause (a plant) to reproduce through grafting.
6. Surgery. to transplant (a portion of living tissue, as of skin or bone) as a graft.
7. to attach as if by grafting: an absurdity grafted onto an otherwise coherent body of thought.
8. Nautical. to cover (a rope) with a weaving of rope yarn.
–verb (used without object)
9. to insert scions from one plant into another.
10. to become grafted.

Origin:
1350–1400; earlier graff, ME graffe, craffe < OF graife, greffe, graffe < LL graphium hunting knife (L: stylus) < Gk grapheion, deriv. of gráphein to write; so called from the resemblance of the point of a (cleft) graft to a stylus


grafter, noun


10. implant, transplant, plant, join, adhere.

graft

2[graft, grahft]
–noun
1. the acquisition of money, gain, or advantage by dishonest, unfair, or illegal means, esp. 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)
5. to obtain by graft.
–verb (used without object)
6. to practice graft.

Origin:
1855–60; perh. special use of graft 1


grafter, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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graft 1   (grāft)   
v.   graft·ed, graft·ing, grafts

v.   tr.
    1. To unite (a shoot or bud) with a growing plant by insertion or by placing in close contact.

    2. To join (a plant or plants) by such union.

  1. To transplant or implant (living tissue, for example) surgically into a bodily part to replace a damaged part or compensate for a defect.

  2. To join or unite closely: graft new customs onto old.

v.   intr.
  1. To make a graft.

  2. To be or become joined.

n.  
    1. A detached shoot or bud united or to be united with a growing plant.

    2. The union or point of union of a detached shoot or bud with a growing plant by insertion or attachment.

    3. A plant produced by such union.

    4. Material, especially living tissue or an organ, surgically attached to or inserted into a bodily part to replace a damaged part or compensate for a defect.

    5. The procedure of implanting or transplanting such material.

    6. The configuration or condition resulting from such a procedure.

    1. Material, especially living tissue or an organ, surgically attached to or inserted into a bodily part to replace a damaged part or compensate for a defect.

    2. The procedure of implanting or transplanting such material.

    3. The configuration or condition resulting from such a procedure.


[Middle English graften, alteration of graffen, probably from Old French grafier, from graffe, stylus, graft (from its shape), from Latin graphium, stylus; see graffito. N., Middle English grafte, alteration of graffe, from Old French.]
graft'er n.
graft 2   (grāft)   
n.  
  1. Unscrupulous use of one's position to derive profit or advantages; extortion.

  2. Money or an advantage gained or yielded by unscrupulous means.

tr. & intr.v.   graft·ed, graft·ing, grafts
To gain by or practice unscrupulous use of one's position.

[Origin unknown.]
graft'er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Cultural Dictionary

graft

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

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

graft  (1)
"shoot inserted into another plant," 1483, from O.Fr. grafe "graft, stylus," from L. graphium "stylus," from Gk. grapheion "stylus," from graphein "write." So called on resemblance of a stylus to the pencil-shaped shoots used in grafting. The terminal -t- in the Eng. word is not explained.

graft  (2)
"corruption," 1859 (as a verb), Amer.Eng., perhaps from graft (1) via Brit. slang sense of "one's occupation" (1853), which seems to be from the word's original sense of "digging" (see graft (1)).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: 1graft
Pronunciation: 'graft
Function: transitive verb
: to implant (living tissue) surgically <grafted a new pieceof artery into the ruptured portion of the old artery> graft intransitive senses
: to perform grafting

Main Entry: 2graft
Function: noun
1 : the act of grafting
2 : something grafted; specifically : living tissue usedin grafting
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

graft 1 (grāft)
v. graft·ed, graft·ing, grafts
To transplant or implant tissue surgically into a body part to replace a damaged part or compensate for a defect. n.

  1. Material, especially living tissue or an organ, surgically attached to or inserted into a body part to replace a damaged part or compensate for a defect.

  2. The procedure of implanting or transplanting such material.

  3. The configuration or condition resulting from such a procedure.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
Bible Dictionary

Graft

the process of inoculating fruit-trees (Rom. 11:17-24). It is peculiarly appropriate to olive-trees. The union thus of branches to a stem is used to illustrate the union of true believers to the true Church.

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
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