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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread Grift #185571 07/01/2009 7:06 PM Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1 Coastalguy stranger Coastalguy stranger Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1 Today's word indicates unknown origin with a guess at a possible permutation of "graft". I might suggest another origin. Seems I remember a word being used in old cowboy movies "grifter" and it referred to someone who unscrupulous and only drifting through town. Maybe it is a combination of Drifter and Graft. Which then was shortened and redefined as grift. Just a thought Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Share Post on Reddit Re: Grift Coastalguy #185573 07/01/2009 8:58 PM Joined: Aug 2002 Posts: 2,154 British Columbia, Canada Zed Pooh-Bah Zed Pooh-Bah Joined: Aug 2002 Posts: 2,154 British Columbia, Canada hi (which coast?) Sounds reasonable, but then English is so seldom sensible. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Share Post on Reddit Re: Grift Coastalguy #185574 07/01/2009 9:05 PM Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 9,974 Likes: 3 Land of the Flat Water LukeJavan8 Carpal Tunnel LukeJavan8 Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 9,974 Likes: 3 Land of the Flat Water Originally Posted By: Coastalguy Today's word indicates unknown origin with a guess at a possible permutation of "graft". I might suggest another origin. Seems I remember a word being used in old cowboy movies "grifter" and it referred to someone who unscrupulous and only drifting through town. Maybe it is a combination of Drifter and Graft. Which then was shortened and redefined as grift. Just a thought I remember it being used in the 50's,60's series "Cheyenne", starring Clint Walker. ----please, draw me a sheep---- Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Share Post on Reddit Re: Grift LukeJavan8 #185618 07/02/2009 2:22 PM Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,295 Netherlands, the Hague BranShea Carpal Tunnel BranShea Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,295 Netherlands, the Hague High Plains Drifter, 1973. But wasn't Eastwood the good guy? Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Share Post on Reddit Re: Grift Coastalguy #185620 07/02/2009 2:48 PM Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 3,290 R'lyeh zmjezhd Carpal Tunnel zmjezhd Carpal Tunnel Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 3,290 R'lyeh Maybe it is a combination of Drifter and Graft. Doubtful. Graft in this sense, like grift, is of unknown origin, too. Ceci n'est pas un seing. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Share Post on Reddit Re: Grift zmjezhd #185635 07/02/2009 9:29 PM Joined: Dec 2006 Posts: 956 Auckland, New Zealand olly old hand olly old hand Joined: Dec 2006 Posts: 956 Auckland, New Zealand I recall 'The Grifters' Anjelica Houston was memorable. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Share Post on Reddit Re: Grift olly #185639 07/03/2009 2:09 AM Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Louisville, Kentucky Jackie Carpal Tunnel Jackie Carpal Tunnel Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Louisville, Kentucky Okay, olly, put your eyes back in their sockets! Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Share Post on Reddit Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. (have been... ------  Words from medicine  Beheading words  Meta-words  Words from classical mythology  Animal Safari  Words with unusual etymologies  Eponyms or words derived from p...  Loanwords from German  English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode Show Likes Link Copied to Clipboard View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary Forum Statistics Forums16 Topics13,916 Posts230,383 Members9,211 Most Online7,006 Mar 7th, 2026 Newest Members Boo boo kitty fu, peterreineck, Peripatetic Toad, JerryC, blvd 9,211 Registered Users Top Posters(30 Days) wofahulicodoc 35 A C Bowden 17 Top Posters wwh 13,858 Faldage 13,803 Jackie 11,613 wofahulicodoc 11,208 tsuwm 10,542 LukeJavan8 9,974 Buffalo Shrdlu 7,210 AnnaStrophic 6,511 Wordwind 6,296 of troy 5,400

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