Collins English-English Dictionary

graft [grɒːft]

1. 1. n [horticulture] 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. 2. n the plant resulting from the union of scion and stock

3. 3. n the point of union between the scion and the stock

4. 4. n [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

5. 5. n the act of joining one thing to another by or as if by grafting

6. 6. vb [horticulture] 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

7. 7. vb to produce (fruit, flowers, etc) by this means or (of fruit, flowers, etc) to grow by this means

8. 8. vb to transplant (tissue) or (of tissue) to be transplanted

9. 9. vb to attach or incorporate or become attached or incorporated

   to graft a happy ending onto a sad tale

10. 10. vb [Etymology] C15: from Old French graffe, from Medieval Latin graphium, from Latin: stylus, from Greek grapheion, from graphein to write

graft [grɒːft]

1. 1. n [Spoken] work (esp in the phrase hard graft)

2. 2. n the acquisition of money, power, etc, by dishonest or unfair means, esp by taking advantage of a position of trust

3. 3. n something gained in this way, such as profit from government business

4. 4. n a payment made to a person profiting by such a practice

5. 5. vi. [intr] to work

6. 6. vi. to acquire by or practise graft

7. 7. vi. [Etymology] C19: of uncertain origin