—n.
1 any of various thick, viscous, usu. inflammable liquids insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents (see also essential oil, fixed oil, mineral oil, volatile oil).
2 US petroleum.
3 (in comb.) using oil as fuel (oil-heater).
4 a (usu. in pl.) = oil-paint. b colloq. a picture painted in oil-paints.
5 (in pl.) = OILSKIN.
—v.
1 tr. apply oil to; lubricate.
2 tr. impregnate or treat with oil (oiled silk).
3 tr. & intr. supply with or take on oil as fuel.
4 tr. & intr. make (butter, grease, etc.) into or (of butter etc.) become an oily liquid.
Phrases and idioms:
oil-bird a guacharo. oil drum a metal drum used for transporting oil. oiled silk silk made waterproof with oil. oil engine an engine driven by the explosion of vaporized oil mixed with air. oil-fired using oil as fuel. oil a person's hand (or palm) bribe a person. oil-lamp a lamp using oil as fuel. oil-meal ground oilcake. oil of vitriol see VITRIOL. oil-paint (or -colour) a mix of ground colour pigment and oil. oil-painting
1 the art of painting in oil-paints.
2 a picture painted in oil-paints. oil-palm either of two trees, Elaeis guineensis of W. Africa, or E. oleifera of the US, from which palm oil is extracted. oil-pan an engine sump. oil-paper a paper made transparent or waterproof by soaking in oil. oil-press an apparatus for pressing oil from seeds etc. oil rig a structure with equipment for drilling an oil well. oil-sand a stratum of porous rock yielding petroleum. oil-seed any of various seeds from cultivated crops yielding oil, e.g. rape, peanut, or cotton. oil-shale a fine-grained rock from which oil can be extracted. oil-slick a smooth patch of oil, esp. one on the sea. oil-tanker a ship designed to carry oil in bulk. oil one's tongue say flattering or glib things. oil well a well from which mineral oil is drawn. oil the wheels help make things go smoothly. well oiled colloq. very drunk.
Derivatives:
oilless adj.
Etymology: ME oli, oile f. AF, ONF olie = OF oile etc. f. L oleum (olive) oil f. olea olive
Useful english dictionary. 2012.