Grease One's Palms Apr 2026
: This is an exceptionally old English idiom dating back to the first half of the 1500s. đź“ť Common Sentence Examples
"Files rarely move in that government office unless you of the clerks."
: To secretly give someone money to persuade them to do something for you. grease one's palms
🔍 Meaning and Origin
"If you want your luggage to make the plane on time, be sure to ." : This is an exceptionally old English idiom
: The idiom relies on the metaphor of moving parts in a machine. Just as applying grease to a squeaky wheel or stiff engine part reduces friction and makes it move smoothly, giving money to an official makes a bureaucratic process move faster.
(Usually refers to smoothing out a situation, sometimes without illegal bribery) Oil someone's palm Palm grease (Used as a noun to mean the actual bribe money) Pay a kickback or give a handout ⚠️ Tone and Connotation Just as applying grease to a squeaky wheel
"To expedite the building approval process, the contractor decided to ." 🔄 Synonyms and Variants
