English · Slang Attested

palm oil

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Money given as a bribe.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

tiền hối lộ

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Where it’s used: Used American English

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

or PALM SOAP, money; also, a bribe.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

tiền, hối lộ

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)

Where it’s used: Origin British & Irish English

Sources & notes

Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.

Topics: Hands Historical slang (1800s)

Common questions

What does “palm oil” mean?

Money given as a bribe.

Is “palm oil” formal or informal?

palm oil is generally slang.