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Meaning of grease the wheels | Babel Free

Verb CEFR C1

Definitions

To create conditions likely to produce or hasten favorable future developments.

idiomatic

Examples

Once a way of greasing the wheels of a gruesome bureaucracy, bribery has now become part of the cost of doing business.”
“[T]he banks will feel more comfortable about lending to each other, which is something we desperately need to help grease the wheels of the economy.”
Worker mobility, which greases the wheels of hiring, dropped off sharply last year.”
People will be more inclined to pay sooner if they can pay lesseven a small discount might be enough to speed up the process and help grease the wheels.”

CEFR level

C1
Advanced
This word is part of the CEFR C1 vocabulary — advanced level.
See all C1 English words →

See also

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