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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

press the flesh en · VERB

Pronunciation

Meanings

  1. (idiomatic) To shake hands and socialize, especially in a political gathering.
    • I’ve followed candidates campaigning in the past, been to countless political-party and interest-group functions, and seen plenty of politicians press the flesh while I stand on the side with my notepad or sit at a rickety table with my laptop. 2021, Eric Garcia, We’re Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation, Boston: Mariner Books, →ISBN, page 28:
    • Bill Clinton was in full campaign form Tuesday. Hours behind schedule, he stopped to press the flesh with everyone in sight. 2008 January 23, “The Clintons Double-Team Obama”, in Time:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
pressing the flesh Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
presses the flesh Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
pressed the flesh Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
pressed the flesh Tense=Past lexicographic