flesh
noun (flesh — uncountable); verb (flesh out, fleshes out, fleshed out)
Everyday
- Flesh is the soft part of the body of a person or animal, between the skin and bones, mostly muscle and fat. tree →
- Flesh is the soft part of a fruit or vegetable that you can eat. tree →
- (Bible, church) «The flesh» means the human body and its desires, as opposed to the spirit; «the Word became flesh» means Christians believe God became a human in Jesus. tree →
- To flesh out an idea or a story means to add more details. tree →
In the lessons
In science, flesh-eating animals are carnivores. In writing lessons, teachers ask pupils to «flesh out» characters. Phrases: «in the flesh» (in person, for real), «flesh and blood» (your own family; a real human).
Examples
- The peach had sweet orange flesh. tree →
- Lions eat the flesh of other animals. tree →
- I met my favourite author in the flesh! tree →
- Flesh out your story with more details. tree →
- He's my own flesh and blood. tree →
- Christians believe the Word became flesh at Christmas. tree →
- I have even got flesh and clothes. tree →
Note
Uncountable. Adjective: fleshy. «Flesh-coloured» is an old phrase that wrongly assumes one skin colour — say «skin-coloured» or name the shade.
In Jewish tradition
It is used for the meat of sacrifices and for the body, as in "all flesh". The law of unclean skin talks about "raw flesh".
Interpretation. Tradition says what may be eaten is a matter of law, and the flesh of sacrifices was eaten only by those who were clean. "All flesh" is read as all living creatures.
Examples
- But whensoever raw flesh appeareth in him, he shall be unclean. (Torah LEV.13.14, JPS 1917) tree →
- And as for the flesh, every one that is clean may eat thereof. (Torah LEV.7.19, JPS 1917) tree →
- And the flesh and the skin were burnt with fire without the camp. (Torah LEV.9.11, JPS 1917) tree →
- Be not among winebibbers; among gluttonous eaters of flesh; (Writings PRO.23.20, JPS 1917) tree →
- Hast Thou eyes of flesh? or seest Thou as man seeth? (Writings JOB.10.4, JPS 1917) tree →
- All flesh shall perish together, and man shall return unto dust. (Writings JOB.34.15, JPS 1917) tree →
Note
Uncountable. Adjective: fleshy. «Flesh-coloured» is an old phrase that wrongly assumes one skin colour — say «skin-coloured» or name the shade.
Early Modern English
Meaning
the body of a person or animal, or the living skin and muscle; here also a general word for all living creatures. tree →
Then and now
Today flesh is the soft part of the body under the skin; in these texts it also means living bodies and all living things, and 'flesh' as food is now called meat.
Examples
- But whensoever raw flesh appeareth in him, he shall be unclean. (Torah LEV.13.14, JPS 1917) tree →
- I smell Russian flesh![188] Who's there?" (Russian Fairy Tales: A Choice Collection of Muscovite Folk-lore) tree →
- The Two Covenants, by the Word or Spirit, and by the Flesh, made by Jehovah with Abraham, Genesis XVII. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) tree →
Note
Today: body, meat.
On Mova
- Trees and pragmatics of «flesh» in the school dictionary: every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- «flesh» in the school dictionary on Mova free.
- Trees and pragmatics of «flesh» in the Judaism dictionary: every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- «flesh» in the Judaism dictionary on Mova free.
- Trees and pragmatics of «flesh» in the Early Modern English dictionary: every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- «flesh» in the Early Modern English dictionary on Mova free.
This page in Markdown → https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/flesh/