释义 |
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024oil /ɔɪl/USA pronunciation n. - Chemistryany of a large group of liquid substances that are thick, smooth, sticky, and sometimes easy to burn, taken from the ground, or from the fat of animals, or from plants, used variously in cooking, heating, and providing power in engines, and to make connecting parts run smoother: [uncountable]:cooking oil.[countable]vegetable oils.
- Fine Art
- a paint made of oil, esp. of linseed oil and used by artists for painting on canvas or other surfaces: [countable]bought some bright oils to use in class.[uncountable]working in oil.
- [countable] an oil painting.
v. [~ + object] - to smear, lubricate, or supply with oil.
adj. [before a noun] - of or relating to oil:oil heat.
- using oil:an oil lantern.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024oil (oil),USA pronunciation n. - Chemistryany of a large class of substances typically unctuous, viscous, combustible, liquid at ordinary temperatures, and soluble in ether or alcohol but not in water: used for anointing, perfuming, lubricating, illuminating, heating, etc.
- Chemistrya substance of this or similar consistency.
- Chemistryrefined or crude petroleum.
- Fine Art[Painting.]
- See oil color.
- See oil painting.
- Informal Termsunctuous hypocrisy;
flattery. - an oilskin garment.
- British Terms[Australian and New Zealand Slang.]facts or news;
information:good oil. - pour oil on troubled waters, to attempt to calm a difficult or tense situation, as an argument.
- strike oil:
- to discover oil, esp. to bring in a well.
- to have good luck, esp. financially;
make an important and valuable discovery:They struck oil only after years of market research.
v.t. - to smear, lubricate, or supply with oil.
- to bribe.
- to make unctuous or smooth:to oil his words.
- to convert into oil by melting, as butter.
adj. - pertaining to or resembling oil.
- using oil, esp. as a fuel:an oil furnace.
- concerned with the production or use of oil:an offshore oil rig.
- made with oil.
- obtained from oil.
- dialect, dialectal Greek *élaiwon (Attic élaion), derivative of *elaíwā olive
- *oleivum (compare Deus)
- Latin oleum, olīvum (olive) oil
- Old French
- Middle English olie, oile 1125–75
oil′less, adj. oil′less•ness, n. oil′like′, adj. Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: oil /ɔɪl/ n - any of a number of viscous liquids with a smooth sticky feel. They are usually flammable, insoluble in water, soluble in organic solvents, and are obtained from plants and animals, from mineral deposits, and by synthesis. They are used as lubricants, fuels, perfumes, foodstuffs, and raw materials for chemicals
See also essential oil - another name for petroleum
- (as modifier): an oil engine, an oil rig
- Also called: lubricating oil any of a number of substances usually derived from petroleum and used for lubrication
- (in combination): an oilcan, an oilstone
- (as modifier): an oil pump
- Also called: fuel oil a petroleum product used as a fuel in domestic heating, industrial furnaces, marine engines, etc
- Brit paraffin, esp when used as a domestic fuel
- (as modifier): an oil lamp, an oil stove
- any substance of a consistency resembling that of oil: oil of vitriol
- the solvent, usually linseed oil, with which pigments are mixed to make artists' paints
- (often plural) oil colour or paint
- (as modifier): an oil painting
- an oil painting
- the good oil, the dinkum oil ⇒ Austral NZ slang facts or news
- strike oil ⇒ to discover petroleum while drilling for it
- informal to become very rich or successful
vb (transitive)- to lubricate, smear, polish, etc, with oil or an oily substance
- informal to bribe (esp in the phrase oil someone's palm)
- oil the wheels ⇒ to make things run smoothly
Etymology: 12th Century: from Old French oile, from Latin oleum (olive) oil, from olea olive tree, from Greek elaia oliveˈoil-ˌlike adj |