train oil

American  

noun

1. oil obtained from the blubber of whales or from seals, walruses, or other marine animals.

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train oil British  

noun

1. oil obtained from the blubber of various marine animals, esp the whale

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Etymology

Origin of train oil

1545–55; earlier trane < Dutch traan train oil, tear; cognate with German Träne tear

Example Sentences

So I’m curious, since you have drilling experience: Do you think it’s easier to train oil drillers to be astronauts or to train astronauts to be drillers?

From The Verge • Dec. 7, 2021

So, he took his winnings and formed a company to train oil and gas professionals in various aspects of the trade.

From Forbes • Aug. 1, 2011

Besides these delicacies, there was a pudding, or dessert, of preserved crowberries, mixed with “chyle” from the maw of the reindeer, with train oil for sauce.

From Red Rooney The Last of the Crew by Ballantyne, R. M. (Robert Michael)

Her entire take was as yet only four barrels of train oil!!

From Narrative of the Circumnavigation of the Globe by the Austrian Frigate Novara, Volume III (Commodore B. Von Wullerstorf-Urbair,) Undertaken by Order of the Imperial Government in the Years 1857, 1858, & 1859, Under the Immediate Auspices of His I. and R. Highness the Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, Commander-In-Chief of the Austrian Navy. by Scherzer, Karl Ritter von

The worst part of the business was when we were nearly starving and had to live on rotten yams and train oil.

From The Three Admirals by Wells, J.R.