Press the Flesh

---

🗓️ Idiom: Press the Flesh (v)

---

💬 Meaning

• To meet and greet people in person, often by shaking hands and making direct personal contact.
• This idiom is commonly used in political, business, or networking contexts to describe efforts to build rapport through face-to-face interaction.

🧠 Example Sentences

• The politician spent hours pressing the flesh at the campaign rally.
• Startup founders often press the flesh at industry events to find new investors.
• She’s great at pressing the flesh and making everyone feel heard.

🏛️ Origin

This idiom’s origin is specifically linked to political campaigning in the early to mid-20th century. Politicians, aiming to connect with voters, would physically move through crowds, shaking hands with as many individuals as possible.

📝 Practice Exercises

1. Fill in the blank:

The sales team hit the road to __________ with new clients and strengthen relationships.

Answer

press the flesh

2. Choose the correct meaning of “press the flesh”:

A) To lift weights for exercise
B) To interact face-to-face, especially by shaking hands
C) To avoid personal contact

Answer

B) To interact face-to-face, especially by shaking hands

3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:

“The CEO attended the networking event to meet people and make connections.” → Change the sentence using: press the flesh

Answer

The CEO attended the networking event to press the flesh.

---

ℹ️ Other Useful Pages
👉 Relationship and Networking Idioms
👉 Business English Idioms List

---