"Files rarely move in that government office unless you of the clerks."
🔍 Meaning and Origin
: This is an exceptionally old English idiom dating back to the first half of the 1500s. 📝 Common Sentence Examples grease one's palms
: To secretly give someone money to persuade them to do something for you.
"If you want your luggage to make the plane on time, be sure to ." "Files rarely move in that government office unless
(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
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. It is associated with corruption, unethical behavior, and
"To expedite the building approval process, the contractor decided to ." 🔄 Synonyms and Variants