grandfather

Pluralgrandfathers

Formsgrandfathers, grandfathering, grandfathered

1. 1
   nouncountable

   The father of your mother or father.

   Like your dad's dad, or your mom's dad.

   My grandfather taught me how to fish when I was little.

   Both of her grandfathers lived on the same street.

   Oppositegrandmother

   Note
2. 2
   nouncountable

   A man in your family who lived long ago, before your parents and grandparents.

   Our grandfathers came to this land hundreds of years ago.

   He honored the grandfather who first settled the valley.

   Similarforefather, ancestor, forebear

   Oppositedescendant

   Note
3. 3
   verbUStransitive

   To let someone or something keep following an old rule after the rule has changed.

   Like letting old players keep the rules they learned when a game gets new rules.

   The city decided to grandfather the older buildings under the previous safety code.

   They grandfathered him into the plan so his rates would not go up.

   Similarexempt

   Note
4. 4
   verbtransitive

   To be a grandfather to someone, or to act like one toward them.

   Mr. Lopez grandfathered every kid on our street, fixing their bikes and telling them stories.

   He was happy to grandfather the young boy who lived next door.

5. 5
   nouncountable

   An older backup copy of a file, kept one step before the next-newest saved copy.

   Like keeping an older photo even after you take newer ones, just in case.

   If the latest file is damaged, you can restore the work from the grandfather.

   Each night the system saves a new copy and keeps the old grandfather just in case.

   Note

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