the soft substance of a human or other animal body, consisting of muscle and fat.
muscular and fatty tissue.
this substance or tissue in animals, viewed as an article of food, usually excluding fish and sometimes fowl; meat.
fatness; weight.
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.
humankind.
living creatures generally.
a person's family or relatives.
Botany. the soft, pulpy portion of a fruit, vegetable, etc., as distinguished from the core, skin, shell, etc.
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.
verb (used with object)
to plunge (a weapon) into the flesh.
Hunting. to feed (a hound or hawk) with flesh in order to make it more eager for the chase.Compare blood (def. 16).
to incite and accustom (persons) to bloodshed or battle by an initial experience.
to inflame the ardor or passions of by a foretaste.
to overlay or cover (a skeleton or skeletal frame) with flesh or with a fleshlike substance.
to give dimension, substance, or reality to (often followed by out): The playwright wrote pretty good characters, but the actors really fleshed them out.
to remove adhering flesh from (hides), in leather manufacture.
Archaic. to satiate with flesh or fleshly enjoyments; surfeit; glut.
Verb Phrases
flesh out,
to gain weight: He realized to his dismay that he had fleshed out during the months of forced inactivity.
to add details to or make more complete: She fleshed out her proposal considerably before presenting it to the committee for action.
Idioms for 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 justice demands is due, but can only be paid with great loss or suffering to the payer.
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
before 900; Middle English flesc,Old English flǣsc; cognate with Old Frisian flēsk,Old High German fleisk (German Fleisch), Old Norse flesk bacon
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
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
Alas, his soul is willing, but his flesh is weak and he whiffs.
After Torture Report, Our Moral Authority As a Nation Is Gone|Nick Gillespie|December 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The devi filled his mouth, tore off the flesh, and threw the bones to the three brothers.
Georgian Folk Tales|Unknown
Wonder at the great work of God who thus glorifies our flesh!
Chronicles of the Schonberg-Cotta Family|Elizabeth Rundle Charles
Each one of his great claws was cut off flush with his flesh.
Michael, Brother of Jerry|Jack London
The color of the feathers does not seem to affect the quality of the flesh or their character for laying.
Domestic Animals|Richard L. Allen
The Eaters of Flesh were close behind them, and forced them forward and inward.
The Second Jungle Book|Rudyard Kipling
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
informalexcess weight; fat
archaicthe 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 Sciencebelief on the physical plane which is considered erroneous, esp the belief that matter has sensation
(modifier)tanningof or relating to the inner or under layer of a skin or hidea flesh split
in the fleshin person; actually present
make one's flesh creep(esp of something ghostly) to frighten and horrify one
press the fleshinformalto shake hands, usually with large numbers of people, esp in political campaigning
verb
(tr)huntingto 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, orpoeticto accustom or incite to bloodshed or battle by initial experience
tanningto 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