- [uncountable] the soft substance between the skin and bones of animal or human bodies
- The trap had cut deeply into the rabbit's flesh.
- Tigers are flesh-eating animals.
- the smell of rotting flesh
Extra ExamplesTopics Foodc1, Bodyc1- African hunting dogs will tear at the flesh of their victim until it is weak.
- Babies are born not just as bundles of flesh and bone but with already distinctive personalities.
- Cook the duck until the juices run pale yellow when the flesh is pierced.
- Falcons usually strip the flesh off their prey.
- The injury was only a flesh wound and would heal in ten days or so.
- The knife cut through flesh and bone.
- The weapon tore into his flesh.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- firm
- smooth
- soft
- …
- touch
- cut
- cut into
- …
- crawl
- creep
- wound
- tone
- in the flesh
- flesh and blood
- flesh and bone
- the pleasures of the flesh
- …
- [uncountable] the skin of the human body
- His fingers closed around the soft flesh of her arm.
- flesh-coloured (= a light brownish pink colour)
Extra Examples- My flesh tingled as I got out of the ice cold pool.
- His shirt was too small for him and cut into the tender flesh at his armpit.
- The tights come in various flesh tones.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- firm
- smooth
- soft
- …
- touch
- cut
- cut into
- …
- crawl
- creep
- wound
- tone
- in the flesh
- flesh and blood
- flesh and bone
- the pleasures of the flesh
- …
- [uncountable] the soft part of fruit and vegetables, especially when it is eaten
- the sweet flesh of a mango
- Cut the melon in half and scoop out the flesh.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- soft
- sweet
- juicy
- …
- chop
- cut
- scoop
- …
- the flesh[singular] (literary) the human body when considering its physical and sexual needs, rather than the mind or soul
- the pleasures/sins of the flesh
- His moral sermons always denounced the lusts of the flesh.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- firm
- smooth
- soft
- …
- touch
- cut
- cut into
- …
- crawl
- creep
- wound
- tone
- in the flesh
- flesh and blood
- flesh and bone
- the pleasures of the flesh
- …
Word OriginOld English flǣsc, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vlees and German Fleisch.
Idioms
See flesh in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee flesh in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishflesh and blood
- when you say that somebody is flesh and blood, you mean that they are a normal human with needs, emotions and weaknesses
- Listening to the cries was more than flesh and blood could stand.
- She wasn't a ghost. She was flesh and blood.
your (own) flesh and blood
- a person that you are related to
- You can’t do that to your own flesh and blood!
go the way of all flesh
- to die
in the flesh
- if you see somebody in the flesh, you are in the same place as them and actually see them rather than just seeing a picture of them
- Thousands of fans gathered to see the band in the flesh.
make your flesh creep
- to make you feel afraid or full of horror
- Just the sight of him makes my flesh creep.
- The story made his flesh creep.
(have, get, want, etc.) your pound of flesh
- the full amount that somebody owes you, even if this will cause them trouble or difficulty
- You’re determined to have your pound of flesh, aren’t you?
press (the) flesh
- (informal) (of a famous person or politician) to say hello to people by shaking hands
put flesh on (the bones of) something
- to develop a basic idea, etc. by giving more details to make it more complete
- The strength of the book is that it puts flesh on the bare bones of this argument.
the spirit is willing (but the flesh is weak)
- (humorous, saying) you intend to do good things but you are too lazy, weak or busy to actually do them
a thorn in somebody’s flesh/side
- a person or thing that repeatedly annoys somebody or stops them from doing something
Check pronunciation:
flesh