oil
Americannoun
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oils
plural
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any 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.
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a substance of this or similar consistency.
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refined or crude petroleum.
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Painting.
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Informal. unctuous hypocrisy; flattery.
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an oilskin garment.
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Australian and New Zealand Slang. facts or news; information.
good oil.
verb (used with object)
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oils,
present (3rd person singular)
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oiled,
past participle, past
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oiling
present participle
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to smear, lubricate, or supply with oil.
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to bribe.
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to make unctuous or smooth.
to oil his words.
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to convert into oil by melting, as butter.
adjective
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pertaining to or resembling oil.
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using oil, especially as a fuel.
an oil furnace.
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concerned with the production or use of oil.
an offshore oil rig.
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made with oil.
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obtained from oil.
idioms
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pour oil on troubled waters, to attempt to calm a difficult or tense situation, as an argument.
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strike oil,
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to discover oil, especially to bring in a well.
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to have good luck, especially financially; make an important and valuable discovery.
They struck oil only after years of market research.
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noun
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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 fixed oil
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another name for petroleum
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( as modifier )
an oil engine
an oil rig
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Also called: lubricating oil. any of a number of substances usually derived from petroleum and used for lubrication
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( in combination )
an oilcan
an oilstone
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( as modifier )
an oil pump
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Also called: fuel oil. a petroleum product used as a fuel in domestic heating, industrial furnaces, marine engines, etc
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paraffin, esp when used as a domestic fuel
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( as modifier )
an oil lamp
an oil stove
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any substance of a consistency resembling that of oil
oil of vitriol
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the solvent, usually linseed oil, with which pigments are mixed to make artists' paints
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(often plural) oil colour or paint
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( as modifier )
an oil painting
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an oil painting
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slang facts or news
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to discover petroleum while drilling for it
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informal to become very rich or successful
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verb
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to lubricate, smear, polish, etc, with oil or an oily substance
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informal to bribe (esp in the phrase oil someone's palm )
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to make things run smoothly
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See well-oiled
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Any of a large class of viscous liquids that are typically very slippery and greasy. Oils are composed mostly of glycerides. They are flammable, do not mix with water, and include animal and vegetable fats as well as substances of mineral or synthetic origin. They are used in food, soap, and candles, and make good lubricants and fuels.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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oillessnessnoun
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reoilverb
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oil-likeadjective
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oillessadjective
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oillikeadjective
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self-oilingadjective
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unoilingadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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oilsimple
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oilssimple
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have oiledperfect
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has oiledperfect
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am oilingprogressive
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are oilingprogressive
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is oilingprogressive
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have been oilingperfect progressive
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has been oilingperfect progressive
Past
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oiledsimple
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had oiledperfect
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was oilingprogressive
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were oilingprogressive
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had been oilingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of oil
1125–75; Middle English olie, oile < Old French < Latin oleum, olīvum (olive) oil < *oleivum ( cf. Deus) < dialectal Greek *élaiwon ( Attic élaion ), derivative of *elaíwā olive
Explanation
Oil is a liquid fat or fuel. You might dress your salad with olive oil and use motor oil in your car's engine; just don't confuse the two! There's the oil you put in your car or use to oil a rusty lock — then there's the oil you heat to stir fry vegetables or whisk with vinegar to make salad dressing. Chemically, these oils have a lot in common, from their tendency to avoid water to their slipperiness to the ease with which they catch on fire. Still, you'd never want to toss a bowl of spaghetti with motor oil — stick to olive oil instead.
Vocabulary lists containing oil
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Most of that is oil which will be shipped to Europe for refining before being sold on the open market.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
With the two at loggerheads, analysts warned that the crisis could drag on, keeping oil prices elevated and putting pressure on inflation.
From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026
—The lack of progress in reaching a peace deal in Iran has put oil traders in a wait-and-see mode.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
The Rosebank oil field and the Jackdaw gas field, 150 miles east of Aberdeen, had been approved under the previous Conservative government and construction is well under way.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
He put a chunk of seal oil in the lamp and set water to boil for his black tea.
From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell
In industrial production, bacteria are grown inside large fermentation tanks and given carbon-rich materials such as sugars, starch, or plant oils.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 17, 2026
On St Kilda, before the archipelago was abandoned in 1930, birds were killed for their meat and also oils for fuel and waterproofing, while the feathers were used for clothing and bedding.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
“Essential oils are natural and can be irritating allergens. And ‘chemical-free skincare’ is scientifically impossible; water is a chemical, lipids are chemicals, and vitamins are chemicals.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
CPO prices were driven by overnight gains in rival oils and recent stronger export data, Kenanga Futures analysts said in a note.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
She preened, then touched the gland near the top of her tail and lubricated her dry feathers with its oils.
From "Frightful's Mountain" by Jean Craighead George
Their gripes abound: Lanes aren’t properly oiled; machines break down regularly; leagues are assigned lanes right next to rowdy parties; food is exorbitantly priced.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026
Over the following months the wood is cut, settled, rounded, spliced, planed, fitted with a brass tip and leather pad, sanded in nine different ways, oiled, and finally waxed, before being complete.
From BBC ● May 2, 2025
If using a ready made crust with two in a pack, roll out the second one, use a cookie cutter to make rounds to place in an oiled muffin pan for mini pies.
From Salon ● Dec. 19, 2024
“Once it gets challenged or exposed, the gaslighting and redirection of the blame toward anyone willing to tell the truth starts through an international well oiled publicity machine,” Freedman said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2024
Jody oiled the hoofs and kept them carefully trimmed so they would not crack.
From "The Red Pony" by John Steinbeck
I learned that oiling the blade prevents humidity from tarnishing the steel.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 23, 2025
The high concentration of pine forest in North Gyeongsang province, where the fires are burning, is also "oiling" the blaze, said a forest disaster expert.
From BBC ● Mar. 27, 2025
LeBron James oiling the offense like a 48-oz. can of WD-40.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 14, 2023
Once cooled, take it out, preheat the oven again to 450 and repeat the oiling and baking process three to four more times.
From Salon ● Mar. 31, 2023
“We stopped at a red light. I’m oiling my catcher’s mitt to avoid looking into our fathers’ eyes, their smiles.
From "Adrift" by Paul Griffin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
