Grease
/ɡriːs/
Definitions
2 meaningsA thick, oily substance used as a lubricant or for cooking.
/ɡriːs/
A thick, oily substance.
The machine needed grease to function smoothly.
💡 Simply: Grease is like butter or oil, but it's thicker. You use it to make things slide easier, like in a car, or to cook food so it doesn't get stuck.
👶 For kids: Grease is like a super slippery goo. You can use it to help things move or to cook food!
More Examples
She used grease to lubricate the door hinges.
The chef used grease to prevent the cookies from sticking to the baking sheet.
How It's Used
"The mechanic applied grease to the gears to reduce friction."
"She greased the pan to prevent the cake from sticking."
To apply grease to something.
/ɡriːs/
To lubricate or coat with grease.
He greased the gears to make them turn more easily.
💡 Simply: To grease something means to put that oily stuff on it. Like, you grease a pan so your food won't stick.
👶 For kids: To grease means to put the slippery goo on something!
More Examples
She greased the baking dish before pouring in the cake batter.
The mechanic greased the hinges to stop the squeaking.
How It's Used
"He greased the bearings to keep them running quietly."
"She greased the pan before pouring in the batter."
Idioms & expressions
grease someone's palm
To bribe someone, typically by giving them money.
"He tried to grease the customs officer's palm to avoid paying the import duties."
From Old French *graisse*, from Latin *crassus* 'thick, fat'.
The word 'grease' has been used since the 13th century, initially referring to animal fat.
Memory tip
Think of the slippery stuff used in cars and on pans. It helps things move smoothly or keeps food from sticking.