Grease One's Palms May 2026

This idiom carries a highly connotation. It is associated with corruption, unethical behavior, and unfair advantages. However, in very casual contexts (like tipping a restaurant host for a table when fully booked), it can occasionally be used lightheartedly without implying a serious crime.

: This is an exceptionally old English idiom dating back to the first half of the 1500s. 📝 Common Sentence Examples

(Usually refers to smoothing out a situation, sometimes without illegal bribery) Oil someone's palm Palm grease (Used as a noun to mean the actual bribe money) Pay a kickback or give a handout ⚠️ Tone and Connotation grease one's palms

"Files rarely move in that government office unless you of the clerks."

: The idiom relies on the metaphor of moving parts in a machine. Just as applying grease to a squeaky wheel or stiff engine part reduces friction and makes it move smoothly, giving money to an official makes a bureaucratic process move faster. This idiom carries a highly connotation

"If you want your luggage to make the plane on time, be sure to ."

"To expedite the building approval process, the contractor decided to ." 🔄 Synonyms and Variants : This is an exceptionally old English idiom

🔍 Meaning and Origin