flesh and blood

adj, noun — 6 senses

flesh and blood

adj

1

Consisting of flesh, blood, and other substances associated with animals or humans.

2

Figuratively Real; substantial.

[Minnesota Senator Steve] Daines isn’t the only example of right-wing politicians who wish to wield anti-Semitism as a convenient cudgel against their political enemies, with scant if any evidence. But Montana’s vanishingly small Jewish population makes it particularly clear that this strategy has little to do with flesh-and-blood Jews at all.2019 July 17, Talia Lavin, “When Non-Jews Wield Anti-Semitism as Political Shield”, in GQ:

flesh and blood

noun

1

A human body; a person generally.

[…] I'll tell you what else is a fact. It's a fact that he is wearing his blue Shetland turtle-neck today. Even as we speak his body is moving inside it. Warm and quick. It's more than flesh and blood can stand.1991 September, Stephen Fry, chapter 1, in The Liar, London: Heinemann, →ISBN, section I, page 17:

2

One's family, or member of one's family.

How dare you say such a thing to your own flesh and blood?

3

Human nature.

4

Ireland, UK, Obsolete, Slang A mixture of brandy and port in equal quantities.

Synonyms: flesh and bone

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.