grease

[ noun grees; verb grees, greez ]

noun

1. the melted or rendered fat of animals, especially when in a soft state:

   She always saves the bacon grease to fry her eggs and potatoes in.

2. fatty or oily matter in general; lubricant:

   The auto mechanic’s overalls were stained with engine grease and motor oil.

   The golfer admitted to using a little grease on the face of his driver to reduce sidespin.

3. Informal. a bribe.
4. Also called grease wool [grees, w, oo, l]. shorn wool before being cleaned of the oily matter.
5. Also called grease-heel [grees, -heel]. Veterinary Pathology. inflammation of a horse's skin in the fetlock region, accompanied by an oily secretion.

verb (used with object)

, greased, greasing.

1. to lubricate by putting a fatty or oily substance on:

   I think I need to grease my bike chain a little—it’s not moving smoothly.

2. to smear or cover with a fatty or oily substance:

   Grease the baking sheet before spooning the dough onto it.

   In pioneer days they sometimes made windows out of greased paper.

3. to cause to occur easily or smoothly; facilitate:

   Extra incentives were offered to grease the trade deal.

   If it looks like it’ll be an awkward social engagement, he has a stiff drink first to grease the proceedings.

4. Informal. to bribe.

grease

noun

1. animal fat in a soft or melted condition
2. any thick fatty oil, esp one used as a lubricant for machinery, etc
3. Also calledgrease wool shorn fleece before it has been cleaned
4. Also calledseborrhoea vet science inflammation of the skin of horses around the fetlocks, usually covered with an oily secretion

verb

1. to soil, coat, or lubricate with grease
2. to ease the course of

   his education greased his path to success

3. grease the palm of or grease the hand of slang.
   to bribe; influence by giving money to

Derived Forms

• ˈgreaseless, adjective

Other Words From

• grease·less adjective
• grease·less·ness noun
• grease·proof adjective
• re·grease verb (used with object) regreased regreasing
• un·greased adjective
• well-greased adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of grease¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English grese, grece, greice from Anglo-French grece, gresse, Old French craisse ( French graisse ) from Vulgar Latin crassia (unrecorded), equivalent to Latin crass(us) fat, thick + -ia noun suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of grease¹

C13: from Old French craisse, from Latin crassus thick

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. grease (someone's) palm, to bribe:

   The only way to get a permit in this town is to grease the commissioner's palm.

More idioms and phrases containing grease

• elbow grease
• like greased lightning
• squeaky wheel gets the grease

Example Sentences

It’s an old cliche and true: Squeaky wheels get the government grease.

From Los Angeles Times

The compounds shed both water and grease and are used in coatings in nonstick cookware, stain-resistant fabrics, and jet engines.

From Science Magazine

And, perhaps above all, run more candidates who’ve gotten dirt under their fingernails, mud on the soles of their boots or grease stains on their coveralls.

From Los Angeles Times

Other sounds, be it his wife popping chewing gum or a neighbour's dog barking, and some smells, such as congealed fat or grease, and sights such as fluorescent lights, have always made him very uncomfortable.

From BBC

The robot also spares workers from the risk of burns from hot oil or slips on grease.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• butter
• lubricate