fleshed out

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Explanation of "Fleshed Out"

Definition: The term "fleshed out" means to add more details, substance, or completeness to something. It often refers to ideas, plans, or descriptions that start as basic and become more developed and detailed.

Usage Instructions

• Context: You can use "fleshed out" when talking about improving or expanding an idea, plan, story, or project by adding more information or detail.
• Form: It is commonly used as a verb phrase ("to flesh out") but can be used in various tenses (fleshed out, fleshing out).

Examples

1. Basic Example:

   • "The writer fleshed out the characters in her novel by adding backstories and motivations."

2. In a Business Context:

   • "Before we present our proposal, we need to flesh it out with more data and research."

Advanced Usage

• In more formal or academic writing, you might see "fleshed out" used to describe the process of developing theories or concepts:
  • "The researcher fleshed out the initial hypothesis with empirical data and case studies."

Word Variants

• Flesh (noun/verb): The main word; can refer to the soft tissue of a body or to develop an idea.
• Fleshing out (present participle): The act of adding detail or substance.

Different Meanings

• Literal Meaning: In a literal sense, "flesh" refers to the soft tissue of animals or humans.
• Figurative Meaning: In the figurative sense, "fleshed out" is about making something more complete or detailed.

Synonyms

• Developed
• Expanded
• Elaborated
• Detailed
• Supplemented

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

• While "fleshed out" itself is not an idiom, it can be part of phrases like:
  • "Flesh out a plan" - to make a plan more detailed.
  • "Flesh out an argument" - to provide more evidence or details for an argument.

Summary

"Fleshed out" is a useful expression for describing the process of making ideas, proposals, or stories more complete by adding details.

Academic

Adjective

1. given substance or detail; completed
   • did not spring full-clad from his imagination
   • a plan fleshed out with statistics and details

Synonyms

• full-clad