# grease someone's palm

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/grease-someones-palm
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To bribe a person.

## Examples

- He had to grease the guard's palm to enter the building.
- The contractor knew he would never get the permit on time unless he greased the official's palm.
- In a city where corruption was common, the businessman realized that greasing the palm of a local politician was the only way to secure the lucrative contract.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.