grease
verb [ T ]
uk/ɡriːs/ us informal
to make something happen more easily:
Social connections can help grease the way to business deals.
The company's charitable donations helped grease its entry into the world of government contracts.
grease sb's palm disapproving
to give someone money secretly so that they will make things happen in the way that you want:
They managed to pull off the deal without greasing any palms.
They were expecting their palms to be greased with bribes.
grease the wheels informal (US also grease the skids)
to make something happen more easily:
More investment is needed to grease the wheels of reform.