flesh

[ flesh ]

/ flɛʃ /

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See synonyms for: flesh / fleshless on Thesaurus.com

noun

the soft substance of a human or other animal body, consisting of muscle and fat.

muscular and fatty tissue.

the muscular and fatty substance or tissue in animals that is consumed as food: often regarded specifically as meat while excluding seafood.

fatness; weight: Even after giving birth to her third child, she had very little excess flesh to lose.

the body, especially as distinguished from the spirit or soul: The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

the physical or animal nature of humankind as distinguished from its moral or spiritual nature: the needs of the flesh.

Archaic. humankind: It is a higher plane of existence, a domain of mystery, where flesh has never walked.

Archaic. living creatures generally: Are we not the guardians of all flesh, from the tiniest burrowers of earth to the grandest dwellers of ocean?

a person's family or relatives; flesh and blood: With the death of his sister, he is now the last of his lineal flesh.

Botany. the soft, pulpy portion of a fruit, vegetable, etc., as distinguished from the core, skin, shell, etc.: After roasting the squash halves, scrape the flesh from the skin and mash with some cream and butter.

the surface of the human body; skin: A person with tender flesh should not expose it to direct sunlight.

(no longer in common use; now considered offensive) flesh color: The crayons they once called “flesh” have been labeled “peach” since 1962.

verb (used with object)

Archaic. to plunge (a weapon) into the flesh: With brazen might, she fleshed her sword into the dragon’s throat.

HuntingObsolete. to feed (a hound or hawk) with flesh in order to make it more eager for the chase: It was hardly necessary to flesh those foxhounds—they were excited enough by their master’s call to the hunt.Compare blood (def. 16).

Archaic. to incite and accustom (persons) to bloodshed or battle by an initial experience: Under his regime, it was not uncommon for very young boys to be fleshed as indoctrination into a culture of brutality.

Obsolete. to inflame the ardor or passions of by a foretaste: I shall not be easily fleshed—especially by those of questionable intent.

to overlay or cover (a skeleton or skeletal frame) with flesh or with a fleshlike substance: The bones appeared to have been fleshed, as if to simulate some sort of reconstruction.

to give dimension, substance, or reality to (often followed by out): When Evan tells the story, it’s more fleshed, more compelling and believable.The playwright wrote pretty good characters, but the actors really fleshed them out.

to remove adhering flesh from (hides), in leather manufacture: The hides we work with have been thoroughly fleshed before we receive them.

Archaic. to satiate with flesh or fleshly enjoyments; surfeit; glut: Are you gentlemen quite fleshed?

Verb Phrases

flesh out,

to add details to or make more complete: She fleshed out her proposal considerably before presenting it to the committee for action.
to gain weight: He realized to his dismay that he had fleshed out during the months of forced inactivity.

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Idioms about flesh

in the flesh, present and alive before one's eyes; in person: The movie star looked quite different in the flesh.

pound of flesh, something that strict terms or codes of justice demand is due, but can only be paid with great loss or suffering to the payer: These guys are notorious for providing loans that can never be paid off without a pound of flesh.

press the flesh, Informal. to shake hands, as with voters while campaigning: The senator is busy as ever pressing the flesh on the campaign trail.

Origin of flesh

First recorded before 900; Middle English flesh, flæsh, flash, Old English flǣsc; cognate with Old Frisian flēsk, Old High German fleisk, German Fleisch, Old Norse flesk “pork, ham, bacon”

OTHER WORDS FROM flesh

flesh·less, adjective

Words nearby flesh

Flemish scroll, Flemming, Flensburg, flense, flerovium, flesh, flesh and blood, flesh color, fleshed, flesher, flesh fly

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use flesh in a sentence

In certain species, a male anglerfish will latch onto his chosen female with a sexy bite, then release digestive enzymes to melt their flesh together.
Egg yolk color doesn’t mean what you think it does|PopSci Staff|October 15, 2020|Popular-Science
That predator’s active ocean cruising generates enough body heat to keep it toastier than surrounding seawater, an effort that burns through the equivalent of about six pounds of flesh a day.
Could an ancient megashark still lurk in the deep seas?|By Riley Black|October 15, 2020|Popular-Science
Others might have thick, spongy flesh that can store water for long periods of time.
Scientists Say: Desert|Bethany Brookshire|October 12, 2020|Science News For Students
You can register in the flesh at your state or local election office.
It’s time to check your voter registration—here’s how|John Kennedy|September 10, 2020|Popular-Science

The collaboration will next flesh out the bounce itself — a more complex stage that requires novel interactions to push everything apart again.
Big Bounce Simulations Challenge the Big Bang|Charlie Wood|August 4, 2020|Quanta Magazine
There was deep brown flesh, and bronze flesh, and pallid white flesh, and flesh turned red from the hot sun.
Powerful Congressman Writes About ‘Fleshy Breasts’|Asawin Suebsaeng|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Flesh encircled him at the main pool of the Paradise Hotel and Residences at Boca.
Powerful Congressman Writes About ‘Fleshy Breasts’|Asawin Suebsaeng|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It also contains some clunky passages of adultery, temptations of the flesh, and general sexual awkwardness.
Powerful Congressman Writes About ‘Fleshy Breasts’|Asawin Suebsaeng|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
His flesh is sagging a bit, but he is still trim and looks lean, sinewy and tough.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
He carried around a hundred pounds too many most of his life, a great buffer of flesh between himself and the world.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It is full of poetic feeling, and the flesh tints are unusually natural.
Women in the fine arts, from the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D.|Clara Erskine Clement
Such things happen to all flesh, from man even to beast, and upon sinners are sevenfold more.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
Woe to the man that first did teach the cursed steel to bite in his own flesh, and make way to the living spirit.
Pearls of Thought|Maturin M. Ballou
In fact, on the palm a small drop of blood showed distinctly against the firm, pink flesh.
Uncanny Tales|Various
And as the fat taken away from the flesh, so was David chosen from among the children of Israel.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various

British Dictionary definitions for flesh

flesh

/ (flɛʃ) /

noun

the soft part of the body of an animal or human, esp muscular tissue, as distinct from bone and visceraRelated adjective: sarcoid

informal excess weight; fat

archaic the edible tissue of animals as opposed to that of fish or, sometimes, fowl; meat

the thick usually soft part of a fruit or vegetable, as distinct from the skin, core, stone, etc

the human body and its physical or sensual nature as opposed to the soul or spiritRelated adjective: carnal

mankind in general

animate creatures in general

one's own family; kin (esp in the phrase one's own flesh and blood)

a yellowish-pink to greyish-yellow colour

Christian Science belief on the physical plane which is considered erroneous, esp the belief that matter has sensation

(modifier) tanning of or relating to the inner or under layer of a skin or hidea flesh split

in the flesh in person; actually present

make one's flesh creep (esp of something ghostly) to frighten and horrify one

press the flesh informal to shake hands, usually with large numbers of people, esp in political campaigning

verb

(tr) hunting to stimulate the hunting instinct of (hounds or falcons) by giving them small quantities of raw flesh

to wound the flesh of with a weapon

archaic, or poetic to accustom or incite to bloodshed or battle by initial experience

tanning to remove the flesh layer of (a hide or skin)

to fatten; fill out

Word Origin for flesh

Old English flǣsc; related to Old Norse flesk ham, Old High German fleisk meat, flesh

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with flesh

flesh

In addition to the idioms beginning with flesh

flesh and blood
flesh out

also see:

go the way of all flesh
in person (the flesh)
make one's flesh creep
neither fish nor fowl (flesh)
pound of flesh
press the flesh
spirit is willing but the flesh is weak
thorn in one's flesh

flesh

Idioms about flesh

Origin of flesh

OTHER WORDS FROM flesh

Words nearby flesh

Words related to flesh

How to use flesh in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for flesh

Word Origin for flesh

Other Idioms and Phrases with flesh