grease

American  

[grees, grees, greez] / gris, gris, griz /

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.  shorn wool before being cleaned of the oily matter.

5. Also called grease-heel.  Veterinary Pathology. inflammation of a horse's skin in the fetlock region, accompanied by an oily secretion.

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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.

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.

grease British  

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 called: grease wool.  shorn fleece before it has been cleaned

4. Also called: seborrhoea.  vet science inflammation of the skin of horses around the fetlocks, usually covered with an oily secretion

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verb

1. to soil, coat, or lubricate with grease

2. to ease the course of

   his education greased his path to success

3. slang to bribe; influence by giving money to

grease More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing grease

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

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Other Word Forms

• greaseless adjective
• greaselessness noun
• greaseproof adjective
• regrease verb (used with object)
• ungreased adjective
• well-greased adjective

Etymology

Origin of grease

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

Example Sentences

Patience here prevents grease pockets and keeps the texture even.

From Salon • Mar. 11, 2026

“You’re cleaning grease traps and taking out trash at 2:00 in the morning.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 7, 2026

"You can even see the grease on the walls where the rats tend to rub along with all the rubbish."

From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026

Today, they are still used in consumer and industrial products because they repel water, grease, and stains and can tolerate heat and corrosion.

From Science Daily • Feb. 26, 2026

I bent down to help her, but the scent of burnt grease sent me reeling, my palm pressed over my mouth.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

Related Words

• lard
• lubricant
• oil
• vegetable oil