to graduate

Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.

To take a degree at a university. "This verb," says Mr. Pickering, "was till lately used by us as a verb neuter or intransitive. Ex. 'He graduated at the University of Cambridge;' but many persons now say, 'he was graduated.' This is merely a return to former practice, the verb being originally active transitive. Examples of both uses are found in English writers.


This freshman college lived not to be matriculated, much less graduated, God in his wisdom seeing the contrary fitter.--Fuller, Worthies.

We think dissenters, merely as such, should not be deprived of the privilege of studying and graduating at the English Universities.--Eclec. Review, April, 1811.

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