lubricate
to apply some oily or greasy substance to (a machine, parts of a mechanism, etc.) in order to diminish friction; oil or grease (something).
to make slippery or smooth; apply a lubricant to: to lubricate one's hands with a lotion.
to smooth over, as a difficulty or human relationship; ease: to lubricate the friction between enemies.
Slang. to provide with intoxicating drinks.
Slang. to bribe.
to act as a lubricant.
to apply a lubricant to something.
Slang. to drink or become drunk.
Origin of lubricate
1Other words from lubricate
- lu·bri·ca·tion, noun
- lu·bri·ca·tion·al, adjective
- lu·bri·ca·tive, adjective
- lu·bri·ca·to·ry [loo-bri-kuh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee], /ˈlu brɪ kəˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i/, adjective
- non·lu·bri·cat·ing, adjective
- o·ver·lu·bri·cate, verb (used with object), o·ver·lu·bri·cat·ed, o·ver·lu·bri·cat·ing.
- o·ver·lu·bri·ca·tion, noun
- re·lu·bri·cate, verb (used with object), re·lu·bri·cat·ed, re·lu·bri·cat·ing.
- re·lu·bri·ca·tion, noun
- self-lu·bri·cat·ed, adjective
- self-lu·bri·cat·ing, adjective
- self-lu·bri·ca·tion, noun
- un·lu·bri·cat·ed, adjective
- un·lu·bri·cat·ing, adjective
- un·lu·bri·ca·tive, adjective
Words Nearby lubricate
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use lubricate in a sentence
Rub this cream inside your chamois or bike shorts to help keep things lubricated, which prevents chafing and hot spots.
There could also be fluids that lubricate the fault, decreasing friction and making it easier for the plates to slip past each other.
What can ‘silent earthquakes’ teach us about the next Big One? | JoAnna Wendel | November 11, 2021 | Science News For StudentsFirst and foremost, it’s important to keep your belt lubricated to keep it functioning at optimal use and stave off repairs.
The best treadmills for walking and running all year round | Chelsea Frank | October 13, 2021 | Popular-ScienceEnthusiasts often build their own boards and nerd out over things like lubricating the switches for a perfectly silky feel.
The best keyboards to upgrade your computer setup | Jasmine Harding | October 1, 2021 | Popular-ScienceEven a well lubricated chain-drive model will be louder than a belt-drive or wall-mounted garage door opener.
Beauty, fame, It Girl status, and old money (never new) all lubricate the entry process.
Inside London’s Hottest Celebrity Haunt—But How Long Will Chiltern Firehouse Burn? | Lizzie Crocker | June 9, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThis oil was used to lubricate the anemometer and other instruments exposed outside.
The Home of the Blizzard | Douglas Mawsonlubricate the embossed cams in the cam housing with a thin film of vaseline every fifty hours of actual running.
Aviation Engines | Victor Wilfred Paglubricate the stopper and insert it in the mouth of the jar, with the handle in a line with the two side tubes.
The Elements of Bacteriological Technique | John William Henry EyreWhen the pressure on the pin or any bearing is over 800 pounds per square inch, oil is no longer able to lubricate it properly.
Farm Engines and How to Run Them | James H. StephensonThe next operation after moulding the bullets is to lubricate them.
Pistol and Revolver Shooting | A. L. A. Himmelwright
British Dictionary definitions for lubricate
/ (ˈluːbrɪˌkeɪt) /
(tr) to cover or treat with an oily or greasy substance so as to lessen friction
(tr) to make greasy, slippery, or smooth
(intr) to act as a lubricant
Origin of lubricate
1Derived forms of lubricate
- lubrication, noun
- lubricational, adjective
- lubricative, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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