to grease the palm of

1 definition found

to grease the palm of - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  palm \palm\ (p[aum]m), n. [OE. paume, F. paume, L. palma, Gr.
     pala`mh, akin to Skr. p[=a][.n]i hand, and E. fumble. See
     Fumble, Feel, and cf. 2d Palm.]
     1. (Anat.) The inner and somewhat concave part of the hand
        between the bases of the fingers and the wrist.
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              Clench'd her fingers till they bit the palm.
                                                    --Tennyson.
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     2. A lineal measure equal either to the breadth of the hand
        or to its length from the wrist to the ends of the
        fingers; a hand; -- used in measuring a horse's height.
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     Note: In Greece, the palm was reckoned at three inches. The
           Romans adopted two measures of this name, the lesser
           palm of 2.91 inches, and the greater palm of 8.73
           inches. At the present day, this measure varies in the
           most arbitrary manner, being different in each country,
           and occasionally varying in the same. --Internat. Cyc.
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     3. (Sailmaking) A metallic disk, attached to a strap, and
        worn on the palm of the hand, -- used to push the needle
        through the canvas, in sewing sails, etc.
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     4. (Zool.) The broad flattened part of an antler, as of a
        full-grown fallow deer; -- so called as resembling the
        palm of the hand with its protruding fingers.
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     5. (Naut.) The flat inner face of an anchor fluke.
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     to grease the palm of, v. t. To bribe or tip. [Slang]
        [Webster 1913 Suppl.]