greasy
Pronunciation
  • (America) IPA: /ˈɡɹi.si/, /ˈɡɹi.zi/
  • (RP) IPA: /ˈɡɹiː.si/, /ˈɡɹi.zi/
Adjective

greasy (comparative greasier, superlative greasiest)

  1. Having a slippery surface; having a surface covered with grease.
    a greasy mineral
    • circa 1606 William Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra, Act V, Scene 2,
      […] mechanic slaves
      With greasy aprons, rules, and hammers, shall
      Uplift us to the view […]
    • 1961, V. S. Naipaul, A House for Mr Biswas, London: André Deutsch, Part One, Chapter 2, p. 54,
      it was in the garage that Alec worked, […] doing mysterious greasy things. Grease blackened his hairy legs; grease had turned his white canvas shoes black; grease blackened his hands even beyond the wrist; grease made his short working trousers black and stiff. Yet he had the gift, which Mr Biswas admired, of being able to hold a cigarette between greasy fingers and greasy lips without staining it.
  2. Containing a lot of grease or fat.
    • circa 1795 Margaret Taylor, Mrs. Taylor’s Family Companion: or The Whole Art of Cookery Display’d, London: W. Lane, “To fry flat Fish,” p. 37,
      Before you dish them up, lay them upon a drainer before the fire sloping, for two or three minutes, which will prevent their eating greasy.
  3. (slang) shady, sketchy, dodgy, detestable, unethical.
  4. (obsolete) fat, bulky
    • circa 1600 William Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Act II, Scene 1,
      Let’s consult together against this greasy knight.
  5. (obsolete) gross; indelicate; indecent
    • 1601, John Marston (poet), Jack Drum's Entertainment, London: Richard Olive, Act I,
      Now I am perfect hate, I lou’d but three things in the world, Philosophy, Thrift, and my self. Thou hast made me hate Philosophy. A Vsurers greasie Codpeece made me loath Thrift: but if all the Brewers Iades in the town can drug me from loue of my selfe, they shall doo more then e’re the seuen wise men of Greece could […]
  6. (of a horse) Afflicted with the disease called grease.
Translations Translations


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