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

“They’re flailing. They’ve been doing this for decades and they have a very well oiled delivery system but right now their content just isn’t working,” Oates said.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 4, 2022

It’s my usual route, and the hinges are well oiled.

From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland

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