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grad
DCHP-2 (Jul 2016)
1†n. — Education, clipping of graduate
some who is or has graduated from a program, usually at secondary school or university.
Use of the form for university graduates is common in throughout North America and often includes high school graduates as well. The quotations demonstrate the long tradition of clipping, e.g. graduate > grad in the educational context. This use is not a Canadianism as defined in Dollinger (2015c).
Quotations
1928
With roars and warwhoops the red savages, (No, my dear, they were NOT science men) charged. Preston, startled from his sleep, stared around in bewilderment like a student who bet on the Grads in the Relay. Then in a thunderous voice, seasoned by five years of McKechnie Cup games, he yelled.---"Kltsilano, capilano, siwash squaw; Klahowya tlllicum skookum wah; Hlyu mamook mucka mucka zip, etc."
1953
It was appropriate that Sandy Robertson, wheel-horse of the 1946 greatest ever team, broke the ice with a dipsy-doodle lay-up to give the Grads the lead which they retained throughout most of the game.
1978
Perhaps the worst off were the history grads. Of 53 contacted, 12 had jobs. Thirty-three of the others had ducked out by going on to graduate school or going into law or education. What are the 12 that are employed doing, you ask? One is a driver for a winter club; one works for UBC food services; one is a laborer [...]
1988
Launching of balloons to mark dry grad drive
[...]
At Belmont high school in suburban Victoria, principal Leo Chaland is working in conjunction with police, parents and students to avoid a repeat of last June's grad party disaster. Police seized 70 cases of beer, laid 90 liquor charges and two impaired-driving charges as a result of the 1987 melee involving 800 people.
"By and large, it's not the grads who prove to be the biggest problem. It is others we don't even know, who just show up," said Chaland. "What we're trying to do is encourage a number of small parties as opposed to some kind of big bash."
But organizers such as Donna Charlton in Kamloops are thinking big. A non-alcoholic celebration at Brocklehurst last year was so successful that other Kamloops area schools will join in.
1998
However this young man never forgets his Waterloo Region and Wellington County roots. He is a grad of Our Lady of Lourdes High School in Guelph and, of course, still lists Puslinch Lake as his home course.
2007
A caption that accompanied a photo of several signatures on Page A6 Monday incorrectly identified them as being from the Commonwealth Air Training Program's Brandon Barbers Book. They were, in fact, signatures on the back of a photo of 1942 grads from Brandon's No. 2 Manning Depot.
2n. & adj. — Education, clipping of graduation
a school graduation ceremony.
Type: 3. Semantic Change — This term is a clipping from "graduation". See COD-2, s.v. "grad" (2), which labels it "Cdn". This meaning appear to have a Canadian dimension, as the common US term is "prom".
Grad for "graduation" used to be considered informal. During the 1990s-2000s, however, the term quickly acquired the status of a standard term (e.g., see the 2010 quote from an evening news TV host).
Quotations
1985
On June 20, Marc, Sheldon and 20 other students from the graduating class at Kells Academy in Westmount will attend their grad.
1991
"My parents showed me that you can do whatever you want," says the 17-year-old. "They sacrificed a lot so that I can pursue the things I think are important."
After classes, Read finds time for his true love, riding. "He showed up at grad wearing a black cowboy hat, tails, black jeans, cowboy boots and a big western belt buckle - that`s Matt," says his English teacher Anne Payne.
1994
Did you know that Jenn
* Was afraid of spiders;
* Cried over sad movies and books; [...]
* Wanted to visit the Bahamas after her grad this June; [...]
Did you know that Jenn
* Was afraid of spiders;
* Cried over sad movies and books; [...]
* Wanted to visit the Bahamas after her grad this June; [...]
2000
Frank went to grad, but he walked up with giggling Julie.
2010
NEWMAN: A local college hosted the grad. The ceremony was originally scheduled for the day the twister hit
2015
The Valedictorian award presented to the student with the highest average of English 30-1 and four of the following courses: Chemistry 30, Biology 30, Physics 30, Social Studies 30, Math 30 Pure, Math 31 and French 30. is sponsored by Keyera Energy and presented by Daphne Hayward to Trevor Weenink.
Lekas thanked Mrs. Nagel and Mr. Osinchuk who have organized the awards, Mrs. Lindley for her work creating the grad history video, Mr. Valens for the decorations, Mrs. Murdoch for sound and lights and Mr. Bramfield for once again pulling it all together and the Community Centre staff for their assistance.
3n. & adj. — Education, also attributively, e.g. safe grad or dry grad
a dinner, dance or party to celebrate graduation; a prom.
Type: 3. Semantic Change — Grad is a very popular term for what is also referred to with the common US term "prom", i.e. the high school graduation party. Noun compounds, also used as adjectives, such as "safe grad" and the more recent dry grad have been increasingly common since the late 1980s (see the 1988 and 1989 quotations). The concepts and terms of "safe" or dry grad were created in response to fatal accidents following excessive alcoholic consumption at high school graduation parties.
See COD-2, s.v. "grad" (3), which labels it "Cdn".
See COD-2, s.v. "grad" (3), which labels it "Cdn".
See: dry grad
Quotations
1982
Although the dinner "is definitely an experience" she is looking forward to, if the two were on the same night, she said sheepishly, "I think I'd rather go to the grad."
1984
In Saskatchewan, 558 students were killed or injured in a six-year period following all-night graduation parties. A program called Safe Grad has been implemented to reduce fatalities.
1989
Police have been preaching the safe grad message for several years in Edmonton schools, but Draganiuk says it's hard to know for sure whether the efforts have changed any attitudes.
1998
Todd Reynolds, popular local musician, graduated from Victoria Composite high school in 1984:
It wasn't exactly A Star Is Born, but he was the star attraction at his grad when he performed a song he'd written specially for the occasion that morning.
2000
At the end of the year, Frank came up to me at lunchtime. He didn't look at me. He kicked the toe of his boot against the ground. We both watched his boot get scuffed.
"Anyone ask you to grad?" he said.
2009
He is 52 and on Thursday at his grad would have been munching finger food and cake at a simple ceremony for Continuing Education graduates at Winslow Centre.
But it didn't matter to him if the ceremony was small or simple. His mom and dad were going to be there, along with his friends from Northside Foursquare Church.
For Morris, getting a graduation certificate means more than recognition of his achievements. It's a milestone, proof that you're never too old to learn something about yourself.
2015
"Someone here found an old grad dress, and the old mascot from who knows when," he added. "We have some old photos but almost no old artifacts and memorabilia, so we're hoping someone out there has stuff they either want to donate or loan to us, to display. We'll make sure it's taken care of, behind locked glass."
4v. — Education, youth slang, informal
to graduate from high school.
The status of the verbal meaning as a Canadianism according to Dollinger (2015c) is not secured, as the conversion to a verb may as well be a North American development. For the sake of completion, we include the meaning under this lexeme, but without a Canadianism Type. As we also lack evidence that this meaning is not Canadian, we stay away from making the meaning a "dagger meaning" (see the dictionary's Introduction). Rather than excluding it, we list this very recent development here (see the quotations and the evidence for youth language, e.g. the 2016 quotation from a 17-year-old female's post on a nanny site, and the 2011 quotation).
COD-2, published in 2004, does not yet list a verbal meaning for grad.
COD-2, published in 2004, does not yet list a verbal meaning for grad.
Quotations
2000
"The first thing was a cruise," he said. "We went on a B.C. Ferry with three or four other schools and there was food and a chance to mingle with others who were gradding at the same time as you."
2005
Montrosers Theresa and Keith Edmondson and Fruitvalers Bob and Linda French showed their support for Stefanie French who will grad this year and begin a fine arts degree at the University of Lethbridge.
2006
Gusway wasn't alone in his desire to head to new territory, nor is it unique that he returned to his high school hometown. "Since I've been back I've seen a few of the people I gradded with, but they're either in the Crimestoppers pages or the sports section," he said.
2011
I used to laugh when parents said their child was "gradding" instead of graduating. Now, I understand. Grad is a verb and a very active one.
References
- COD-2
Images
Chart 1: Internet Domain Search, 19 Nov. 2015
