In the 18th century, the Swedish government made coffee and its paraphernalia (including cups and dishes) illegal for its supposed ties to rebellious sentiment.
OILY
greasy, oily
(adjective) smeared or soiled with grease or oil; “greasy coveralls”; “get rid of rubbish and oily rags”
greasy, oily, sebaceous, oleaginous
(adjective) containing an unusual amount of grease or oil; “greasy hamburgers”; “oily fried potatoes”; “oleaginous seeds”
oily
(adjective) coated or covered with oil; “oily puddles in the streets”
buttery, fulsome, oily, oleaginous, smarmy, soapy, unctuous
(adjective) unpleasantly and excessively suave or ingratiating in manner or speech; “buttery praise”; “gave him a fulsome introduction”; “an oily sycophantic press agent”; “oleaginous hypocrisy”; “smarmy self-importance”; “the unctuous Uriah Heep”; “soapy compliments”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Adjective
oily (comparative oilier, superlative oiliest)
Relating to or resembling oil.
Covered with or containing oil.
(figuratively) Excessively friendly or polite but insincere.
Noun
oily (plural oilies)
A marble with an oily lustre.
(in the plural, informal) Oilskins. (waterproof garment)
Source: Wiktionary
Oil"y, a. [Compar. Oilier; superl. Oiliest.]
1. Consisting of oil; containing oil; having the nature or qualities of oil; unctuous; oleaginous; as, oily matter or substance. Bacon.
2. Covered with oil; greasy; hence, resembling oil; as, an oily appearance.
3. Smoothly subservient; supple; compliant; plausible; insinuating. "This oily rascal." Shak. His oily compliance in all alterations. Fuller. Oily grain (Bot.), the sesame.
– Oily palm, the oil palm.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
17 January 2025
OBSERVE
(verb) conform one’s action or practice to; “keep appointments”; “she never keeps her promises”; “We kept to the original conditions of the contract”
Coffee Trivia
