Graft

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Graft, n. [OE. graff, F. greffe, originally the same word as OF. grafe pencil, L. graphium, Gr. , , fr. to write; prob. akin to E. carve. So named from the resemblance of a scion or shoot to a pointed pencil. Cf. Graphic, Grammar.].

 A small shoot or scion of a tree inserted in another tree, the stock of which is to support and nourish it. The two unite and become one tree, but the graft determines the kind of fruit.  [1913 Webster]

Graft, n. [Prob. orig. so called because illegitimate or improper profit was looked upon as a graft, or sort of excrescence, on a legitimate business undertaking, in distinction from its natural proper development.].

•  Acquisition of money, position, etc., by dishonest or unjust means, as by actual theft or by taking advantage of a public office or any position of trust or employment to obtain fees, perquisites, profits on contracts, legislation, pay for work not done or service not performed, etc.; illegal or unfair practice for profit or personal advantage; also, anything thus gained.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
•  A “soft thing” or “easy thing;” a “snap.”  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

Graft, v. t. [F. greffer. See Graft, n.].

•  To insert (a graft) in a branch or stem of another tree; to propagate by insertion in another stock; also, to insert a graft upon.  [1913 Webster]
•  To implant a portion of (living flesh or akin) in a lesion so as to form an organic union.  [1913 Webster]
•  To join (one thing) to another as if by grafting, so as to bring about a close union.  [1913 Webster]

  "And graft my love immortal on thy fame !"  [1913 Webster]
•  To cover, as a ring bolt, block strap, splicing, etc., with a weaving of small cord or rope-yarns.  [1913 Webster]

Graft, v. i. 

 To insert scions from one tree, or kind of tree, etc., into another; to practice grafting.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Graft, n. & v.
--n.
1 Bot. a a shoot or scion inserted into a slit of stock, from which it receives sap. b the place where a graft is inserted.
2 Surgery a piece of living tissue, organ, etc., transplanted surgically.
3 sl. hard work.
--v.
1 tr. a (often foll. by into, on, together, etc.) insert (a scion) as a graft. b insert a graft on (a stock).
2 intr. insert a graft.
3 tr. Surgery transplant (living tissue).
4 tr. (foll. by in, on) insert or fix (a thing) permanently to another.
5 intr. sl. work hard.

Idiom

grafting-clay (or -wax) a substance for covering the united parts of a graft and stock.

Derivative

grafter n.

Graft, n. & v. colloq.
--n.
1 practices, esp. bribery, used to secure illicit gains in politics or business.
2 such gains.
--v.intr. seek or make such gains.

Derivative

grafter n.

Etymology

19th c.: orig. unkn.

THESAURUS

Graft

abstraction, affix, anchor, annex, annexation, appropriation, attach, ballot-box stuffing, belay, blackmail, boodle, boodling, boosting, booty, bribery, bribery and corruption, bribing, bud, bunco, campaign contribution, campaign fund, cardsharping, cement, cheat, cheating, cinch, clamp, clinch, conversion, conveyance, corruption, cozenage, cramp, diddle, diddling, dishonesty, dodge, embedment, embezzlement, engraft, entrance, extortion, fasten, filching, fishy transaction, fix, flam, flimflam, fraud, fraudulence, fraudulency, gerrymandering, grafting, grapple, grift, gyp, gyp joint, haul, hot goods, illicit business, imp, impaction, impactment, implant, implantation, imposition, imposture, inarch, infixion, infusion, injection, inoculation, insert, insertion, insinuation, interjection, interpolation, introduction, intromission, jobbery, join, kickback, knit, liberation, lifting, loot, make fast, moor, nepotism, payola, penetration, perfusion, perks, perquisite, pickings, pilferage, pilfering, pinching, plunder, poaching, political intrigue, pork barrel, pork-barrel legislation, pork-barreling, prize, public till, public tit, public trough, put to, racket, scam, scion, screw up, scrounging, secure, set, set to, shoot, shoplifting, slush fund, snatching, sneak thievery, snitching, splice, spoil, spoils, spoils of office, spoils system, squeeze, stealage, stealing, stealings, stolen goods, subornation, swag, swindle, swiping, take, tessellation, theft, thievery, thieving, tighten, till, transplant, transplantation, trice up, trim

ROGET THESAURUS

Graft

Junction

VB join, unite, conjoin, connect, associate, put together, lay together, clap together, hang together, lump together, hold together, piece together, tack together, fix together, bind up together together, embody, reembody, roll into one, attach, fix, affix, saddle on, fasten, bind, secure, clinch, twist, make fast, tie, pinion, string, strap, sew, lace, tat, stitch, tack, knit, button, buckle, hitch, lash, truss, bandage, braid, splice, swathe, gird, tether, moor, picket, harness, chain, fetter, lock, latch, belay, brace, hook, grapple, leash, couple, accouple, link, yoke, bracket, marry, bridge over, span, braze, pin, nail, bolt, hasp, clasp, clamp, crimp, screw, rivet, impact, solder, set, weld together, fuse together, wedge, rabbet, mortise, miter, jam, dovetail, enchase, graft, ingraft, inosculate, entwine, intwine, interlink, interlace, intertwine, intertwist, interweave, entangle, twine round, belay, tighten, trice up, screw up, be joined, hang together, hold together, cohere.

Giving

N giving, bestowal, bestowment, donation, presentation, presentment, accordance, concession, delivery, consignment, dispensation, communication, endowment, investment, investiture, award, almsgiving, charity, liberality, generosity, gift, donation, present, cadeau, fairing, free gift, boon, favor, benefaction, grant, offering, oblation, sacrifice, immolation, lagniappe, pilon, grace, act of grace, bonus, allowance, contribution, subscription, subsidy, tribute, subvention, bequest, legacy, devise, will, dotation, dot, appanage, voluntary settlement, voluntary conveyance, amortization, alms, largess, bounty, dole, sportule, donative, help, oblation, offertory, honorarium, gratuity, Peter pence, sportula, Christmas box, Easter offering, vail, douceur, drink money, pourboire, trinkgeld, bakshish, fee, consideration, bribe, bait, ground bait, peace offering, handsel, boodle, graft, grease, blat, giver, grantor, donor, feoffer, settlor, giving, given, allowed, allowable, concessional, communicable, charitable, eleemosynary, sportulary, tributary, gratis, donative, auctor pretiosa facit, ex dono, res est ingeniosa dare.

Location

VB place, situate, locate, localize, make a place for, put, lay, set, seat, station, lodge, quarter, post, install, house, stow, establish, fix, pin, root, graft, plant, shelve, pitch, camp, lay down, deposit, reposit, cradle, moor, tether, picket, pack, tuck in, embed, imbed, vest, invest in, billet on, quarter upon, saddle with, load, lade, freight, pocket, put up, bag, inhabit, domesticate, colonize, take root, strike root, anchor, cast anchor, come to an anchor, sit down, settle down, settle, take up one's abode, take up one's quarters, plant oneself, establish oneself, locate oneself, squat, perch, hive, se nicher, bivouac, burrow, get a footing, encamp, pitch one's tent, put up at, put up one's horses at, keep house, endenizen, naturalize, adopt, put back, replace.

Improbity

N improbity, dishonesty, dishonor, deviation from rectitude, disgrace, fraud, lying, bad faith, Punic faith, mala fides, Punica fides, infidelity, faithlessness, Judas kiss, betrayal, breach of promise, breach of trust, breach of faith, prodition, disloyalty, treason, high treason, apostasy, nonobservance, shabbiness, villainy, villany, baseness, abjection, debasement, turpitude, moral turpitude, laxity, trimming, shuffling, perfidy, perfidiousness, treachery, double dealing, unfairness, knavery, roguery, rascality, foul play, jobbing, jobbery, graft, bribery, venality, nepotism, corruption, job, shuffle, fishy transaction, barratry, sharp practice, heads I win tails you lose, mouth honor, dishonest, dishonorable, unconscientious, unscrupulous, fraudulent, knavish, disgraceful, wicked, false-hearted, disingenuous, unfair, one-sided, double, double- hearted, double-tongued, double-faced, timeserving, crooked, tortuous, insidious, Machiavelian, dark, slippery, fishy, perfidious, treacherous, perjured, infamous, arrant, foul, base, vile, ignominious, blackguard, contemptible, unrespectable, abject, mean, shabby, little, paltry, dirty, scurvy, scabby, sneaking, groveling, scrubby, rascally, pettifogging, beneath one, low-minded, low-thoughted, base-minded, undignified, indign, unbecoming, unbeseeming, unbefitting, derogatory, degrading, infra dignitatem, beneath one's dignity, ungentlemanly, ungentlemanlike, unknightly, unchivalric, unmanly, unhandsome, recreant, inglorious, corrupt, venal, debased, mongrel, faithless, of bad faith, false, unfaithful, disloyal, untrustworthy, trustless, trothless, lost to shame, dead to honor, barratrous, dishonestly, mala fide, like a thief in the night, by crooked paths, Int, O tempora!, O mores!, corruptissima respublica plurimae leges.

Insertion

VB insert, introduce, intromit, put into, run into, import, inject, interject, infuse, instill, inoculate, impregnate, imbue, imbrue, graft, ingraft, bud, plant, implant, dovetail, obtrude, thrust in, stick in, ram in, stuff in, tuck in, press, in, drive in, pop in, whip in, drop in, put in, impact, empierce, imbed, immerse, immerge, merge, bathe, soak, dip, plunge, bury, insert itself, lodge itself, plunge in medias res.

Teaching

VB teach, instruct, educate, edify, school, tutor, cram, prime, coach, enlighten, inculcate, indoctrinate, inoculate, infuse, instill, infix, ingraft, infiltrate, imbue, impregnate, implant, graft, sow the seeds of, disseminate, given an idea of, put up to, put in the way of, set right, sharpen the wits, enlarge the mind, give new ideas, open the eyes, bring forward, teach the young idea how to shoot, improve, expound, lecture, read a lesson, give a lesson, give a lecture, give a sermon, give a discourse, incept, hold forth, preach, sermonize, moralize, point a moral, train, discipline, bring up, bring up to, form, ground, prepare, qualify, drill, exercise, practice, habituate, familiarize with, nurture, drynurse, breed, rear, take in hand, break, break in, tame, preinstruct, initiate, inure, put to nurse, send to school, direct, guide, direct attention to, impress upon the mind, impress upon the memory, beat into, beat into the head, convince, book, workbook, exercise book, preach to the wise, teach one's grandmother to suck eggs, teach granny to suck eggs, preach to the converted.