grease (one's) palm

(redirected from grease their palms)

grease (one's) palm

To bribe one discreetly, as by slipping money into their palm. A: "How are we going to get a table without a reservation?" B: "Don't worry, I greased the hostess' palm, and she promised us a table in no time." I greased my brother's palm to stop him from telling Mom that I had a party while she was away.
See also: grease, palm

grease someone's palm

 and oil someone's palm
Fig. to bribe someone. If you want to get something done around here, you have to grease someone's palm. I'd never oil a police officer's palm. That's illegal.
See also: grease, palm

grease someone's palm

Also, oil someone's palm or hand . Give someone money in exchange for a favor; also, bribe someone. For example, If you want you luggage to make the plane, be sure to grease the porter's palm. This term uses grease in the sense of "enrich." [First half of 1500s]
See also: grease, palm

grease someone's palm

If someone greases an official's palm, they secretly give money to the official in order to get something that they want. She thought she would not be able to see the files if she did not grease the palms of officials. At the docks my grandfather would grease the palm of some sailor to show us round his ship. Note: You can describe this activity as palm-greasing. Palm-greasing for just about anything from entry to a favoured school to obtaining a bank loan is considered a fact of life here. Note: The idea behind this expression is that grease and oil help machines work smoothly. In the same way, bribing people will make it easier to get what you want.
See also: grease, palm

grease (or oil) someone's palm

bribe someone. informal
This phrase comes from the practice of applying grease to a machine to make it run smoothly. The same expression exists in French as graisser la patte . The form with palm is now predominant but hand appears in the earliest recorded versions of the idiom, dating from the 16th century.
1998 Economist Licences to run a shop [in Italy]…have caused many an official's palm to be greased.
See also: grease, palm

grease somebody’s ˈpalm

(old-fashioned, informal) give somebody money in order to persuade them to do something dishonest: Luckily, Mick was able to grease a few palms, thus helping his brother to escape.
This phrase refers to the fact that you put grease (= a thick substance like oil) on a machine to make it run smoothly.
See also: grease, palm

grease someone’s palm

tv. to pay someone a bribe. I had to grease the clerk’s palm in order to get the job done.
See also: grease, palm
References in periodicals archive ?
SIALKOT -- Officials at traffic police offices have indulged in corruption through their agents as they issue driving licenses to only those applicants who grease their palms.
Traffic police offices become corruption hub
This is a serious failure of justice as law-enforcers only entertain the influential or those who can grease their palms.
Patriarchal mindset
It would not be wrong to say that they consider it as their birth right to get bribe for the work they perform and if somebody does not grease their palms, then blackmailing starts which never ends.
Bribery
'Officials at the district account office and district education office don't resolve the visitors' problems without getting bribe and even the teachers have to grease their palms to get documentation done,' president of ATA Maulana Abdul Salam told the association's executive council here on Monday.
Transporters increase fare after CNG price hike
The applicant due to long absence of the corrupt staffers from their seat is forced to grease their palms to get clear their files.
'No audit of audit doctrine turns AGPR into hub of corruption
He, however, alleged that the black sheep in the SNGPL were only providing relaxation in the bills to those who grease their palms.
Nanbais call of protest after assurance about grievances' redressal
On the other hand, some officers were mounting pressure on me to grease their palms even before they would estimate the loss and recommend
Rain- hit UP farmer torches wheat crop
Accusing TCP senior officials of violating Economic Coordination Committee's directives concerning the procurement of one million bales against Rs 25070m ginners of Punjab and Sindh alleged that the TCP officials have refused to buy the cotton stock of those ginners who are not willing to grease their palms.
TCP ACCUSED OF WITHHOLDING GINNERS' AMOUNT
Those refusing to grease their palms were prevented from selling goods, they alleged.
Mayor accuses public reps of interference
If he were ever stopped by the traffic cops (where they were at that time and what they were doing is another story!) he would grease their palms and be on his way to a surely vital appointment.
Pakistan: Comment: Rules rule
How dare they come back in order to grease their palms, conveniently rediscovering their true Scouse identities?
'So-called Scousers' You say
Most popular sites exclude genuine best buys, instead promoting firms which grease their palms with juicy commissions.
CONLINE SAVINGS; Don't let Web of deception cost you dear
They not only threaten but also remove the billboards if someone fails to grease their palms.
Citizens for immediate removal of illegal billboards
Muzaffar alleged that the policemen were demanding bribe and when he could not grease their palms, they asked for his checking.
Probe as police make citizen 'strip off his clothes'
They alleged that the MC land branch staff daily threaten them but when they grease their palms,the staff returns.They chanted slogans against chairman MC Mian Ijaz Aamir and land officer Sarwar Sani.
Rally against irregularities in stamp papers' affairs
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