press the flesh

press (the) flesh

To meet, talk to, and shake hands with many different people. Used especially in reference to a politician running for office. There's no way you'll win the election if you aren't out pressing the flesh among your constituents. I've always been something of a germophobe, so I don't like pressing flesh with strangers.
See also: flesh, press
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

press the flesh

Shake hands and mingle with people, especially when running for public office. For example, The candidate went through the crowd, pressing the flesh. [1920s]
See also: flesh, press
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

press the flesh

JOURNALISM
COMMON To press the flesh means to talk to people in a crowd and shake their hands. She was out and about all over Galway, pressing the flesh. Note: This expression is often used about politicians, who do this when they are trying to get elected.
See also: flesh, press
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

press (the) flesh

tv. to shake hands. (see also flesh-presser.) He wanted to press the flesh, but I refused even to touch him.
See also: flesh, press
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

press the flesh

Informal
To shake hands and mingle with many people, especially while campaigning for public office.
See also: flesh, press
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.

press the flesh, to

To shake hands, to make physical contact in greeting someone. This humorous bit of American slang dates from the 1920s. It was first used, and still often is, of politicians who are greeting as many potential voters as possible in an effort to secure their votes.
See also: press
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • press (the) flesh
  • press flesh
  • presser
  • flesh-presser
  • press the flesh, to
  • shake hands with the unemployed
  • Shake it up!
  • shake up
  • shook up
  • shake (one's) booty
References in periodicals archive
Many of the songs on this Live and Love show were extended, giving her the chance to 'press the flesh' with members of the audience and invite fans to dance and sing with her.
Glitz and glamour as Diana reigns supreme; REVIEW
The great and the good of LA stopped in for the W Magazine bash in California to press the flesh of potential winners.
Stars go global before awards
She doesn't need to press the flesh or beg us to buy poppies.
Joan Burnie : Cherie should open up her own cheque book - and her heart
Disney, for example, took over the El Capitan May 19 to screen trailers of its new shows, and managed to entice an impressive lineup of cast members--from Ben Affleck and Gregory Hines to Eric Roberts and Bonnie Hunt--to press the flesh. Jim Belushi, who already fronts a Disney sitcom, performed at the theater; Tom Jones regaled the 600 guests at the party in the Kodak Building.
L.A. Screenings bring the world to Hollywood. (V Life)
Taoiseach Ahern - who HATES travelling by helicopter - was picked up in Dublin and flown to Letterkenny to press the flesh with voters.
Bertie is up, up and away thanks to the mighty Quinn; AHERN BEATS HIS HATRED OF FLYING TO MEET VOTERS
Always one of our more tactile performers, he wasted few opportunities to press the flesh with the audience packed in and around the huge heart- shaped boardwalk surrounding the stage - and twice he hared round that steeply banked track in a very passable imitation of Michael Johnson.
GO! ROCK: Preaching to the Pope and presidents
And so she takes her super-powered sexy self from video shoots and arena stages to press the flesh and broker deals with businessmen and politicians.
WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING; SHAKIRA WANTS TO FIGHT POVERTY AND OFFER ESCAPISM
He says he likes to get out and about and you can't blame him for wanting to press the flesh and meet his people.
Keith Doyle's column: High-fliers land us in Euro-probe
Whatever she was thinking, she looked more like she was about to attack Rorke's Drift than press the flesh with her fashion pals.
Kate's clubbing until Zulu dawn
HOTTING UP: William Hague and Ffion press the flesh at Stoneleigh yesterday, while Tony Blair was given a rough ride by Sharon Storer (left), the partner of a cancer patient as he arrived at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.
ELECTION 2001: Hague's visit to the heart of the country
The primary value in the get-togethers is to provide opportunity to press the flesh and to eat and drink to excess.
Cable Show dreams on
While the assembled actors queued up to press the flesh, Philip blithely told them he'd never watched the soap because it was on at "an inconvenient time".
Carole Malone column: It's Phil the geek again
Fresh fish should be slightly slimy, the skin should be firm and when you press the flesh it should be springy and not leave a dent where you pressed it.
food & drink: Beer's a much better batter
He'll also be appearing back over the Border when he turns up at the Scottish Motorcycle Show at Ingliston on March 7 and 8, so you can press the flesh and speak to the man who is earning himself a permanent place in the Guinness Book of Records.
Search on for vintage biker
Which is why the politicians' mantra about how they've taken to the streets to press the flesh of Britain's "real people" is a sick joke.
Carole Malone's column: No fuss, no fights, but we're FURIOUS