What was graft

Graft does not necessarily retard development. Moreover, it is not a homogeneous phenomenon: there are numerous types, both collusive and noncollusive, with direct, indirect, and monetary effects. Also, the impact of any particular act depends on the institutional, economic, and social environment. A simple disaggregative method of analyzing graft-effect hypotheses is proposed, and then applied to several hypotheses. This approach emphasizes the inhomogeneity of graft by considering separately the effects of each type.

Log in Sign Up. Save Word. Definition of graft Entry 1 of 5. Definition of graft Entry 2 of 5. Definition of graft Entry 3 of 5. Definition of graft Entry 4 of 5. Definition of graft Entry 5 of 5. Illustration of graft Noun 1 graft 1c: a scion, b stock In the meaning defined above.

Other Words from graft Verb 1 grafter noun. First Known Use of graft Noun 1 14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Verb 1 14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a Noun 2 , in the meaning defined above Verb 2 , in the meaning defined at transitive sense Noun 3 , in the meaning defined above.

History and Etymology for graft Noun 1 and Verb 1 Middle English graffe, grafte , from Anglo-French greffe, graife stylus, graph, from Medieval Latin graphium , from Latin, stylus, from Greek grapheion , from graphein to write — more at carve Verb 2 and Noun 2 origin unknown Noun 3 English dialect graft , verb, to work.

Learn More About graft. Time Traveler for graft The first known use of graft was in the 14th century See more words from the same century. From the Editors at Merriam-Webster. Is it 'Grifter' or 'Grafter'?

Actually I think a lot of less well-read people in the UK wouldn't know the corruption meaning. Ted According to the OED 1. Pronunciation changed, but spelling didn't. There are also four graft verbs — with the same etymology, and hence the same spelling, as nouns 1, 3, 4 and 5. Modern -ught, on the other hand, is, as xx suggests, a reflection of Old English -ht: e. Kevin But the Dutch word with this meaning is spelt "gracht", at least in modern Dutch spelling.

The gracht form also dates from Middle Dutch but this wasn't the variant taken into English. I've never heard the doublet 'graft and corruption'. It's always been 'bribery and corruption'. I've heard 'graft' used to mean 'corruption', but as an American word.

If used by an English person, I think it would be used to set the scene somewhere in the US,just as a writer might use a word like 'gumshoe', 'quarterback' or 'tammany'. If I may intrude - as a French individual who studied English at University, I can remember learning the expression 'graft and embezzlement', the two usually joined together in press articles individual fraud and organised fraud. I just checked a minute ago and indeed, I can find a lot of such occurrences on the net.

As for the horticultural and medical meanings, I came across them with copies of the Reader's Digest I used to get when I was young just personal memories - what did you call them, Lynne? I'd never come across the sense of 'work' yet. Thx for the tip! I heard a lady on BBC Radio 4 today describing how her elderly mother has 'grafted all her life - she's not a scrounger, so why can't she get good social care from her local council?

To me, hard graft is closer to a prison occupation - sewing mailbags, perhaps! Yet another interesting article where I'm learning some surprising differences between english dialects. I like this blog, just whish I had the time to read all the posts, thank you!

When I saw that the British expression "honest graft" meant hard work, I was surprised, because I associated that phrase with the American Tammany politician George Washington Plunkett who famously defended certain practices now universally thought unethical. From the Wikipedia bio: He made most of his money through land purchases, which he knew would be needed for public projects. He would buy such parcels, then resell them at an inflated price.

This was "Honest Graft". Curiously, "graft" in the sense of unethical behavior by public officials, is not listed in my ten volume Century Dictionary, or in the OED, but does make the grade in the Webster's New International unabridged. My Funk and Wagnall's has this citation: "The boodler sells his official vote or buys official acts contrary to the Law. He is a grafter , but a grafter is not necessarily a boodler. Grafting may or may not be lawful. It is either a special privilege exercised contrary to law or one the law itself may give.

I don't think "boodler" ever made it to Britain, and is nearly forgotten in the US. The current OED also includes these senses for boodle 2 a. Counterfeit money. Money acquired or spent illegally or improperly, esp. In quotations from British and Irish authors boodle means simply 'money' — used like spondoolics or dosh. I don't remember ever in my long life having heard the word —but then If I had, the meaning would have been so obvious that it wouldn't really have registered.

It didn't catch on. InE user here, Am familiar with both usages i. In my society, the common usage and frequent interpretation today is "corruption" instead of "hard work" which is well understood in cricket watching circles and those schooled in British English. Perhaps a reflection of American English dominating new generations.

David Crosbie: Thanks for the further info on "boodler". I like the sound of the word, and think I shall try to revive it. I'll start by writing an angry letter to my local newspaper denouncing the boodlers in City Hall and in the county government. As my particular part of Alabama is rather famous for corruption, the letter should go over well. Incidentally, the Governor Jos. He was such a renowned anti-corruption reformer he was known as "Holy Joe. He was a decent but unexceptional blues singer who played the kazoo and harmonica a bit, but he made some terrific records in the late twenties with some of the best barrelhouse pianists of the day.

Unless he was claiming to be a political fixer, it's hard to see what he meant by boodle it. I have just seen 'boodle' as the answer to a crossword clue - informal money and then an anagram of two other words - in a BrE magazine. Boodle was a nonsense word favored by Southern jug band musicians in the 20s. Thx Mudcat. Peter Thanks for directing me to the jug band examples. I'd forgotten how much In fact boodle-um and beedle-um there was in them.

But it wash't confined to southern jug bands. Big Bill, Georgia Tom and others popularised a Chicago hokum band song in which beedle-um-bum is a noun. And there were solo performances by Ben Curry and Bogus Ben Covington who may have been the same person.

But these are all 'nonsense' phrases — even if, as you say, highly suggestive. The verb boodle is found in isolation. And Jimmy Yancey recorded a tune called Boodlin'. I guess that makes the verb pretty unambiguous — nothing remotely related to selling votes.

Did anybody else from the UK hear them use "graft" on the news last night in the sense of work? It was in an article on prisoners working for next-to-no money I noticed, and thought of this discussion!

Somewhat to my surprise, most use graft to denote the application' or slog , I might say needed to succeed — in sport half the stories , in film making and in pop music: "life-affirming graft rock". Annabel I tried again and found it. The story can be viewed — at least on UK computers and possibly elsewhere — by clicking here. Almost at the end Mark Easton speaks of making prisons place of graft and toil while preparing prisoners for the outside world. Near the beginning And it's never my first thought.

My friend's grandma from Yorkshire uses this word very often she describes herself as a "grafter" too. I've never heard of the "corruption" sense though. Hi I think both meanings come from the gemanic word, meaning a spadeful, but is defined by 'spit' which is a spade of earth that you would dig if you were digging all day Eg a manageable load.

A graft is a full spade. So heavier than a spit and both "hard work" and "grabbing more". Normal people dig spits, handworkers dig grafts. Normal people dig spits, conmen dig grafts. But many Britons believe the link between graft and gain has broken down.