press the flesh
To shake hands and socialize, especially in a political gathering.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The candidate went out to press the flesh with local voters.”
“During the campaign, the senator spent every afternoon in the town square to press the flesh.”
“After the formal speech concluded, the politician descended from the stage to press the flesh and charm the influential donors in attendance.”
- 01
become one flesh
To join together in marriage; to develop a unifying bond as a result of marrying.
- 02
exchange flesh
To engage in sexual intercourse.
- 03
flesh one's maiden sword
To experience or succeed in combat or struggle for the first time, as in the military or in politics.
- 04
flesh out
To complete; to create details from a basic outline, structure, or skeleton.
- 05
hot off the presses
Freshly printed, minted, written, or created.
- 06
neither fish, flesh, nor good red herring
Synonym of neither fish nor fowl (“not easily categorized; not rightly belonging or fitting well in a given group or situation; also, not having the advantages of the various options”).
- 07
one flesh
Two people united by marriage.
- 08
pound of flesh
Something which is owed and which will be hurtful or difficult to provide; a debt owed to someone who is merciless and demanding.
Last updated August 10, 2026