grease the wheels
Meaning
To make a process run more smoothly by providing help, incentives, or preparation (sometimes implying bribery).
Origin
From the literal act of lubricating wheels/axles so they turn smoothly; by the 19th century it was used figuratively for easing social or bureaucratic processes, sometimes via money or favors.
Notes
Often neutral (“make things go smoothly”), but can hint at bribery (“grease someone’s palm”) depending on context; common in business/bureaucracy talk.
Examples
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A small donation to the community fund helped grease the wheels for getting the permit approved faster.
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I asked Maya to introduce me to the hiring manager to grease the wheels before my interview.
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Good documentation can grease the wheels when you hand a project over to a new team.
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We offered free training to grease the wheels for adopting the new software across the company.
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A quick call from the sponsor greased the wheels and the partnership agreement was signed the next day.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Usually used as a verb phrase: grease the wheels (of/for something). Can be inflected: greased the wheels, greasing the wheels. Object is typically plural “wheels.”
Synonyms
- smooth the way
- pave the way
- facilitate
- make things run smoothly
Antonyms
- throw a wrench in the works
- gum up the works