v. In 7 pa. pple. engraften. [f. EN-1, IN- + GRAFT.]
1. trans. To graft in; to insert (a scion of one tree) as a graft into or upon (another). Also absol.
a. 1677. Barrow, Serm. (1686), III. xxiii. 265 (R.). Upon the wildest stock divine husbandry can engraft most excellent fruit.
1701. Cunningham, in Phil. Trans., XXIII. 1206. When they ingraft, they do not slit the Stock as we do, but cut a small slice off the outside of the Stock.
1732. Berkeley, Alciphr., I. § 14. If upon a plum-tree peaches and apricots are engrafted.
1797. Holcroft, trans. Stolberg’s Trav. (ed. 2), II. lx. 367. Trees … which, by engrafting, bear two kinds of fruit.
1816. J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, II. 640. Pear-trees are propagated by engrafting … upon free stocks.
b. transf. To set firmly in.
1793. Smeaton, Edystone L., § 83. The foundation stones of every course were engrafted into, or rather rooted in the rock. Ibid., § 245. A socket, whereby the courses would have been mutually engrafted.
2. fig. (Often with express reference to a metaphorical ‘tree,’ ‘stock,’ etc.) a. To implant (virtues, dispositions, sentiments) in the mind; to incorporate (a thing) into a previously existing system or unity, (an alien) into a race or community; and the like. b. Const. on, upon: To superadd (something adventitious) to something already existing which serves as a basis. † c. Comm. To add to the stock of a trading company (cf. ENGRAFTMENT 3.)
a. 1585. Abp. Sandys, Serm. (1841), 114. This word … would root out vice and ingraft virtue.
1633. Earl Manch., Al Mondo (1636), 203. This ardent Love engrafting me into God by her uniting vertue.
1634. T. Johnson, trans. Parey’s Chirurg., XXIV. ii. (1678), 538. Hesiod adviseth all married people not to give themselves to carnal copulation when they return from burials,… lest that their sad, heavy, and pensive cogitations, should be transfused and engraften in the issue.
1635. Swan, Spec. M., v. § 2 (1643), 161. Finding that some false tenets were engrafted amongst the ignorant.
1642. Rogers, Naaman, Ep. Ded. a 3. Yet God hath ingrafted your Honour into another stocke.
1643. Milton, Divorce, II. lii. (1851), 70. This cannot be lesse then to ingraft sin into the substance of the law.
1737. Whiston, Josephus’ Antiq., XVII. xii. § 1. A certain young man … ingrafted himself into the kindred of Herod by the resemblance of his countenance.
a. 1754. Fielding, Remedy Afflict., Wks. 1775, IX. 247. Acquiring solid lasting habits of virtue, and ingrafting them into our character.
b. 1667. Milton, P. L., XI. 35. All his works on mee Good or not good ingraft, my Merit those Shall perfet, and for these my Death shall pay.
1736. Berkeley, App. Querist, II. § 106. It may … be fatal to engraft trade on a national bank.
1790. Burke, Fr. Rev., 187. You can better ingraft any description of republic on a monarchy than any thing of monarchy upon the republican forms.
1800. Dundas, in J. Owen, Wellesley’s Disp., 563. The addition made to your European infantry … being engrafted on old disciplined well seasoned regiments.
1827. J. Powell, Devises (ed. 3), II. 245. An executory limitation [is] engrafted on an alternate contingent remainder in fee on another.
1839. Alison, Hist. Europe (1849–50), I. Introd. § 18. On the decayed stock of urban liberty they ingrafted the vigorous shoots of pastoral freedom.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., III. 524. A bill of pains and penalties against delinquents should be … engrafted on the Bill of Indemnity.
1881. J. Grant, Cameronians, I. i. 14. It had been added to, or engrafted on, the tall, old, square baronial tower.
c. 1697. Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), IV. 164. Whether they would admit talleys and their own notes to be engrafted upon their stock.
3. To graft (a tree), to furnish with a graft.
1794. Martyn, Rousseau’s Bot., vii. 73. Fruit-trees are somewhat in the same case, by being ingrafted.
† b. To introduce small-pox virus into (a person’s system); = INOCULATE. Obs.
1717. Lady M. W. Montague, Lett. (1887), I. 228. The boy was engrafted last Tuesday … I cannot engraft the girl.
