flesh
flesh Lexical Profile
flesh Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The soft substance consisting of muscle and fat that is found between the skin and bones of a human or an animal.
"The thorn tore through his shirt and scratched the flesh of his arm."
The soft, pulpy, edible part of a fruit or vegetable, situated inside the skin or rind and surrounding the stone or seeds.
"Cut the ripe mango open and scoop out the sweet yellow flesh."
The physical human body together with its material needs, sensual appetites, and mortal weaknesses, especially as contrasted with the soul or spirit.
"The ascetic monk sought to renounce the temptations of the flesh."
• verb
To give substance, fuller detail, or a more complete form to a plan, outline, or character (usually used with 'out').
"The author needs to flesh out the protagonist's backstory in the second chapter."
To scrape or remove adhering flesh and fat from the underside of an animal hide or pelt in preparation for tanning.
"The tanner carefully fleshed the deerskin on a wooden beam before soaking it."
Word Nuance & Usage
In idioms like 'flesh out' (to add detail) versus 'flush out' (to drive out of hiding), care should be taken not to confuse the two verbs.
• Rhymes for flesh
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'flǣsc', of Germanic origin and related to Dutch 'vlees' and German 'Fleisch', originally denoting bacon or pork before broadening to mean soft animal tissue.