Flesh (noun) Definition, Meaning & Examples

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

to plunge (a weapon) into the flesh: With brazen might, she fleshed her sword into the dragon’s throat.
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.
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.
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.
to satiate with flesh or fleshly enjoyments; surfeit; glut: Are you gentlemen quite fleshed?

Verb Phrases

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.

Idioms

present and alive before one's eyes; in person: The movie star looked quite different in the 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.
to shake hands, as with voters while campaigning: The senator is busy as ever pressing the flesh on the campaign trail.

noun

the soft part of the body of an animal or human, esp muscular tissue, as distinct from bone and viscera
excess weight; fat
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 spirit
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
belief on the physical plane which is considered erroneous, esp the belief that matter has sensation
of or relating to the inner or under layer of a skin or hide
in person; actually present
(esp of something ghostly) to frighten and horrify one
to shake hands, usually with large numbers of people, esp in political campaigning

verb

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
to accustom or incite to bloodshed or battle by initial experience
to remove the flesh layer of (a hide or skin)
to fatten; fill out

AllDefiNitions