oil
♦♦♦ oil /'ɔɪl/ (oils oiling oiled)
1 [N-MASS]
Oil is a smooth, thick liquid that is used as a fuel and for making the parts of machines move smoothly. Oil is found underground.
The company buys and sells about 600,000 barrels of oil a day.
...the rapid rise in prices for oil and petrol.
...a small oil lamp.
2 [VERB] V n
If you oil something, you put oil onto or into it, for example to make it work smoothly or to protect it.
A crew of assistants oiled and adjusted the release mechanism until it worked perfectly...
3 [N-MASS] usu n N
Oil is a smooth, thick liquid made from plants and is often used for cooking.
Combine the beans, chopped mint and olive oil in a large bowl...
4 [N-MASS] usu supp N
Oil is a smooth, thick liquid, often with a pleasant smell, that you rub into your skin or add to your bath.
Try a hot bath with some relaxing bath oil...
5 [N-COUNT] usu pl
Oils are oil paintings.
Her colourful oils and works on paper have a naive, dreamlike quality.
6 [N-PLURAL]
When an artist paints in oils, he or she uses oil paints.
When she paints in oils she always uses the same range of colours.
7
see also castor oil, crude oil,
8 [PHRASE] V inflects
If someone or something oils the wheels of a process or system, they help things to run smoothly and successfully.
On all such occasions, the king stands in the wings, oiling the wheels of diplomacy.
9
to burn the midnight oil: see midnightcas|tor oil
[N-UNCOUNT]
Castor oil is a thick yellow oil that is obtained from the seeds of the castor oil plant. It has a very unpleasant taste and in former times was used as a medicine.cod-liver oil
also cod liver oil
[N-UNCOUNT]
Cod liver oil is a thick yellow oil which is given as a medicine, especially to children, because it is full of vitamins A and D.crude oil
[N-UNCOUNT]
Crude oil is oil in its natural state before it has been processed or refined.lin|seed oil /l'ɪnsiːd ɔɪl/
[N-UNCOUNT]
Linseed oil is an oil made from seeds of the flax plant. It is used to make paints and inks, or to rub into wooden surfaces to protect them.oil paint (oil paints)
[N-UNCOUNT] also N in pl
Oil paint is a thick paint used by artists. It is made from coloured powder and linseed oil.oil paint|ing (oil paintings)
[N-COUNT]
An oil painting is a picture which has been painted using oil paints.
Several magnificent oil paintings adorn the walls.oil pan (oil pans)
[N-COUNT]
An oil pan is the place under an engine which holds the engine oil. (mainly AM; in BRIT, usually use sump)oil plat|form (oil platforms)
[N-COUNT]
An oil platform is a structure that is used when getting oil from the ground under the sea.oil rig (oil rigs)
[N-COUNT]
An oil rig is a structure on land or in the sea that is used when getting oil from the ground.oil slick (oil slicks)
[N-COUNT]
An oil slick is a layer of oil that is floating on the sea or on a lake because it has accidentally come out of a ship or container.
The oil slick is now 35 miles long.oil tank|er (oil tankers)
[N-COUNT]
An oil tanker is a ship that is used for transporting oil.oil well (oil wells)
[N-COUNT]
An oil well is a deep hole which is made in order to get oil out of the ground.ol|ive oil (olive oils)
[N-MASS]
Olive oil is oil that is obtained by pressing olives. It is used for putting on salads or in cooking.palm oil
[N-UNCOUNT]
Palm oil is a yellow oil which comes from the fruit of certain palm trees and is used in making soap and sometimes as a fat in cooking.
1 [N-MASS]
Oil is a smooth, thick liquid that is used as a fuel and for making the parts of machines move smoothly. Oil is found underground.
The company buys and sells about 600,000 barrels of oil a day.
...the rapid rise in prices for oil and petrol.
...a small oil lamp.
2 [VERB] V n
If you oil something, you put oil onto or into it, for example to make it work smoothly or to protect it.
A crew of assistants oiled and adjusted the release mechanism until it worked perfectly...
3 [N-MASS] usu n N
Oil is a smooth, thick liquid made from plants and is often used for cooking.
Combine the beans, chopped mint and olive oil in a large bowl...
4 [N-MASS] usu supp N
Oil is a smooth, thick liquid, often with a pleasant smell, that you rub into your skin or add to your bath.
Try a hot bath with some relaxing bath oil...
5 [N-COUNT] usu pl
Oils are oil paintings.
Her colourful oils and works on paper have a naive, dreamlike quality.
6 [N-PLURAL]
When an artist paints in oils, he or she uses oil paints.
When she paints in oils she always uses the same range of colours.
7
see also castor oil, crude oil,
8 [PHRASE] V inflects
If someone or something oils the wheels of a process or system, they help things to run smoothly and successfully.
On all such occasions, the king stands in the wings, oiling the wheels of diplomacy.
9
to burn the midnight oil: see midnightcas|tor oil
[N-UNCOUNT]
Castor oil is a thick yellow oil that is obtained from the seeds of the castor oil plant. It has a very unpleasant taste and in former times was used as a medicine.cod-liver oil
also cod liver oil
[N-UNCOUNT]
Cod liver oil is a thick yellow oil which is given as a medicine, especially to children, because it is full of vitamins A and D.crude oil
[N-UNCOUNT]
Crude oil is oil in its natural state before it has been processed or refined.lin|seed oil /l'ɪnsiːd ɔɪl/
[N-UNCOUNT]
Linseed oil is an oil made from seeds of the flax plant. It is used to make paints and inks, or to rub into wooden surfaces to protect them.oil paint (oil paints)
[N-UNCOUNT] also N in pl
Oil paint is a thick paint used by artists. It is made from coloured powder and linseed oil.oil paint|ing (oil paintings)
[N-COUNT]
An oil painting is a picture which has been painted using oil paints.
Several magnificent oil paintings adorn the walls.oil pan (oil pans)
[N-COUNT]
An oil pan is the place under an engine which holds the engine oil. (mainly AM; in BRIT, usually use sump)oil plat|form (oil platforms)
[N-COUNT]
An oil platform is a structure that is used when getting oil from the ground under the sea.oil rig (oil rigs)
[N-COUNT]
An oil rig is a structure on land or in the sea that is used when getting oil from the ground.oil slick (oil slicks)
[N-COUNT]
An oil slick is a layer of oil that is floating on the sea or on a lake because it has accidentally come out of a ship or container.
The oil slick is now 35 miles long.oil tank|er (oil tankers)
[N-COUNT]
An oil tanker is a ship that is used for transporting oil.oil well (oil wells)
[N-COUNT]
An oil well is a deep hole which is made in order to get oil out of the ground.ol|ive oil (olive oils)
[N-MASS]
Olive oil is oil that is obtained by pressing olives. It is used for putting on salads or in cooking.palm oil
[N-UNCOUNT]
Palm oil is a yellow oil which comes from the fruit of certain palm trees and is used in making soap and sometimes as a fat in cooking.