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Glite Dictionary
👴 A father's father 📜 To keep old rules
to grandfather

to grandfather

8 6.1
To allow someone to keep old rights when new rules start
  • verb
  • /ˈɡrændˌfɑːðər/
  • Formal
translation icon : eximir de
  • Since the Yadana project was well underway when the ban was issued, its Burmese operations are "grandfathered" under the sanctions.
  • effectively grandfathered
  • existing grandfathered
  • grandfathered agreements

So yeah, at that time I was essentially I got grandfathered and, you know, went to schools and stuff like that.

Examples

  • Once a choice student is in a school, they are grandfathered through.

    Blog text (9)

  • The licenses were grandfathered in, so there was no problem with the Gaming Commission.

    The Godfather Part II (1974)

  • There is no good reason to grandfather some agreements forever.

    Academic text (1992)

  • The U.S. Senate in July passed a bill that would "grandfather" all facilities operating with flow control prior to May 16, 1994.

    Academic text (1995)

  • You all have been grandfathered into the system.

    Am I Racist? (2024)

  • For instance, I heard Oregon at one point said to grandfather every single statute and regulation that we have in this area.

    Academic text (1996)

  • I see no reason why we can't "grandfather in" all stars, etc., currently in place and then go forth from here.

    Academic text (2006)

  • Currently, married couples could be grandfathered into a legal contract that mirrors current law.

    Blog text (12)

  • All current practices, whether discriminatory or not, are "grandfathered" at both the federal and sub-federal level.

    Academic text (1990)

  • Current clinics could be grandfathered, allowing them to operate under previous regulations.

Antonyms

to invalidate
  • Formal
33 6.1

To make a document or agreement have no legal effect anymore

to disallow
  • Formal
16 3.9

To refuse to allow something, usually by an official rule

Compounds

great-grandfather
71 2.0

A man who is the father of your grandparent

grandfather clock
5 3.8

A tall freestanding clock with a long swinging weight that tells time

grandfather clause
  • Formal
1 7.5

An exception allowing existing people or things to stay under old rules when new ones start

Surface Forms

grandfather infinitive
grandfathered past
grandfathered past participle
grandfathering present participle
grandfathers third person singular

Etymology

Grandfather as a verb comes from the noun grandfather and from the idea of a 'grandfather clause', a rule that lets people keep old rights when new rules start. So to grandfather someone is to allow them to continue under the old rules instead of making them follow the new ones.