flesh
- flesh
\ \ [OE] The etymological notion underlying flesh, and its near relative flitch ‘side of bacon’ [OE], is of ‘slitting open and cutting up an animal’s carcase for food’. It, together with its continental cousins, German fleisch and Dutch vleesch ‘flesh’ and Swedish fläsk ‘bacon’, comes ultimately from Indo-European *pel- ‘split’. Consequently, the earliest recorded sense of the Old English word flǣsc is ‘meat’; the broader ‘soft animal tissue’, not necessarily considered as food, seems to have developed in the late Old English period.
\ \ Cf.⇒ FLITCH
Word origins - 2ed.
J. Ayto.
2005.
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Flesh — (fl[e^]sh), n. [OE. flesch, flesc, AS. fl[=ae]sc; akin to OFries. fl[=a]sk, D. vleesch, OS. fl[=e]sk, OHG. fleisc, G. fleisch, Icel. & Dan. flesk lard, bacon, pork, Sw. fl[ a]sk.] 1. The aggregate of the muscles, fat, and other tissues which… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
flesh — [flesh] n. [ME < OE flæsc, akin to Ger fleisch < ? IE base * plēk , to tear off > FLAY] 1. a) the soft substance of the body (of a person or animal) between the skin and the bones; esp., the muscular tissue b) the surface or skin of the… … English World dictionary
FLESH — (Heb. בָּשָׂר, basar), a word used both in the Bible and Talmud for mortal man and for the flesh of animals (for the latter aspect, see meat ). Eve is called by Adam bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh (Gen. 2:23), i.e., my close relative (cf … Encyclopedia of Judaism
flesh — ► NOUN 1) the soft substance in the body consisting of muscle tissue and fat. 2) the edible pulpy part of a fruit or vegetable. 3) the surface of the human body with reference to its appearance or sensory properties. 4) (the flesh) the… … English terms dictionary
flesh´i|ly — flesh|y «FLEHSH ee», adjective, flesh|i|er, flesh|i|est. 1. having much flesh; fat; plump. SYNONYM(S): corpulent, stout … Useful english dictionary
flesh|y — «FLEHSH ee», adjective, flesh|i|er, flesh|i|est. 1. having much flesh; fat; plump. SYNONYM(S): corpulent, stout … Useful english dictionary
Flesh — Flesh, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Fleshed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Fleshing}.] 1. To feed with flesh, as an incitement to further exertion; to initiate; from the practice of training hawks and dogs by feeding them with the first game they take, or other… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Flesh — is the soft part of the body of a person or animal which is between the skin and the bones. In ordinary speech, it typically contrasts with bone, as in the merism flesh and bone . It mainly refers to skeletal muscle and associated fat, though it… … Wikipedia
flesh — [n1] body tissue, skin beef, brawn, cells, corpuscles, fat, fatness, flesh and blood, food, meat, muscle, plasm, plasma, protoplasm, sinews, thews, weight; concept 392 flesh [n2] humankind animality, carnality, homo sapiens, humanity, human… … New thesaurus
flesh|ly — «FLEHSH lee», adjective, li|er, li|est. 1. of the flesh; bodily; corporeal. 2. Figurative. of man s physical nature; sensual: »pretty lyrics of fleshly love (Joseph Slater) … Useful english dictionary
flesh|er — «FLEHSH uhr», noun. 1. a person who fleshes hides. 2. a knifelike tool used for fleshing. 3. Scottish. a butcher … Useful english dictionary
