well-oiled

American

[wel-oild] / ˈwɛlˈɔɪld /

adjective

operating with efficiency.

a well-oiled department.
Slang. drunk.

well-oiled British

adjective

informal (well oiled when postpositive) drunk

"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

Etymology

Origin of well-oiled

First recorded in 1730–40

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.

"Bring back the days when everyone was well oiled and being rock stars," concluded Ally Fothers.

From BBC • Mar. 3, 2024

But I think it’s not as well oiled of a machine as some reporting makes it out to be.

From Slate • Sep. 13, 2023

In all cases, make sure your grill is well oiled so they don’t stick.

From Washington Times • Jun. 30, 2023

“It’s going to be a work in progress for some teams and some teams are well oiled right now,” Storm coach Noelle Quinn said.

From Seattle Times • May 20, 2023

Aside from keeping the door hinges so well oiled that the slightest touch made them swing open easily, he offered no more inducements than other saloon keepers.

From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023