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Definition of oil
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: any of numerous unctuous combustible substances that are liquid or can be liquefied easily on warming, are soluble in ether but not in water, and leave a greasy stain on paper or cloth
b(1)
: petroleum
(2)
: the petroleum industry
2
: a substance (such as a cosmetic preparation) of oily consistency
bath oil
3a
: an oil color used by an artist
b
: a painting done in oil colors
4
: unctuous or flattering speech
oil
verbDefinition of oil (Entry 2 of 2)
: to smear, rub over, furnish, or lubricate with oil
: to take on fuel oil
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Synonyms for oil
Synonyms: Noun
canvas (also canvass), oil painting, painting
Synonyms: Verb
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Examples of oil in a Sentence
Noun
The price of crude oil is expected to rise. We heat our house with oil. A little bit of oil will help lubricate the chain. Add a little oil to the pan and stir-fry the onions. The dressing is made with oil, vinegar, and a pinch of herbs.Verb
He oiled the bearings of the machine. if you oil the machinery on a regular basis, it will operate more efficiently
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Marijuana concentrate can come in multiple forms, including oils and butter-like compounds, and can contain very high levels of THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis. — Linda Carroll, NBC News, "Teens who use concentrated marijuana more likely to use other drugs," 26 Aug. 2019 Hats, swimsuits and underwear: These are personal items that probably carry body oils and possibly bacteria. — Heloise, Washington Post, "Hints From Heloise: Trash in the ocean," 26 Aug. 2019 Others suggested that individuals are emptying out commercial nicotine pods and filling them up with a combination of THC oil and other chemicals. — Matt Richtel, BostonGlobe.com, "First death in a spate of vaping sicknesses reported by health officials," 26 Aug. 2019 Koch refines crude oil and sells the gasoline people use to drive to work. — Christopher Leonard For Cnn Business Perspectives, CNN, "David Koch was known for his political influence. This is his business legacy," 23 Aug. 2019 Greenland is rich in oil and rare Earth minerals and is home to a U.S. military base. — Morten Buttler, Fortune, "After Rebuffing Trump, Greenland and Denmark Tighten Relationship," 23 Aug. 2019 His comments followed Beijing’s announcement on Friday that China would retaliate against the Trump administration’s next round of tariffs by increasing taxes on $75 billion of American imports, including agricultural products, crude oil and cars. — Jeanna Smialek, New York Times, "Powell Highlights Fed’s Limits. Trump Labels Him an ‘Enemy’," 23 Aug. 2019 The conglomerate has interests ranging from oil and ranching to farming and the manufacturing of electrical components. — Los Angeles Times, "David Koch, industrialist who funded conservatives, dies at 79," 23 Aug. 2019 Spraying the plant with water, or using insecticidal oils and soaps can be useful. — Joan Morris, The Mercury News, "Gardening in the Bay Area: August to-do list," 22 Aug. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Able to operate from the left wing or just behind the front three, his creativity would add an extra dimension to a Liverpool midfield that is well-oiled but lacks a little dynamism. — SI.com, "Philippe Coutinho: 5 Reasons Liverpool Should Have Pursued a Loan Move for Their Former Star," 10 Aug. 2019 In November, Mark posted a pic of himself from Riverdale all oiled up, and Kelly couldn't resist. — Kayla Keegan, Good Housekeeping, "Fans Freak Out After Kelly Ripa Writes Sexy 'Riverdale' Comment on Mark Consuelos’ Instagram," 31 Jan. 2019 Denver has already tried other geese management tactics included oiling their eggs, spraying repellants and creating visual barriers to discourage geese from nesting. — Michelle Lou, CNN, "Denver is rounding up its Canada geese -- to turn them into food for the needy," 2 July 2019 Hence, for those same thousands of years, methods of curing them (drying, salting, washing, oiling) have fermented out most of the bitterness. — Bill St. John, The Denver Post, "Marinating olives, Sicilian style and simply," 12 June 2019 Each hog gets an application of Martin’s spice blend, and their skins are salted and oiled. — Eric Velasco, al.com, "Meet the crew who makes Birmingham’s barbecue," 3 June 2019 Lightly oil a large (10-by-15-inch) glass or metal baking dish. Arrange chicken, skin-side down, in dish. — Adina Steiman, WSJ, "Eat Like a Model (And Still Be Satisfied)," 13 Sep. 2018 Dressed in a suit with pink tie, pocket handkerchief and sporting long hair, Gilfry seemed a kind of oily Elmer Gantry, further oiled by Aucoin's busily ingratiating chamber orchestra accompaniment. — Mark Swed, latimes.com, "Walt Whitman's operatic America in 'Crossing' gets its West Coast premiere," 27 May 2018 And just like the stock market has eventually stopped doing what the president wants, so will oil prices. — Emily Stewart, Vox, "Now that the stock market is down, Trump wants to take credit for oil prices," 27 Nov. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'oil.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for oil
oil
noun
English Language Learners Definition of oil
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a thick, black liquid that comes from the ground and that is used in making various products (such as gasoline)
: a type of oil that is used as a fuel to produce heat or light
: a type of oil that makes the different parts in an engine, machine, etc., run smoothly
oil
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of oil (Entry 2 of 2)
: to put oil in or on (something)
See the full definition for oil in the English Language Learners Dictionary
oil
noun
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Kids Definition of oil
(Entry 1 of 2)