1. 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.
Phrases and idioms:
grafting-clay (or -wax) a substance for covering the united parts of a graft and stock.
Derivatives:
grafter n.
Etymology: ME (earlier graff) f. OF grafe, grefe f. L graphium f. Gk graphion stylus f. grapho write 2. 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.
Derivatives:
grafter n.
Etymology: 19th c.: orig. unkn.