Englisch

oily

gb/ˈɔɪli/ us/ˈɔɪli/
B1 Englisch
Bedeutungen
0 Bedeutungen
adjective B1 property
1

covered with oil; greasy

having a lot of oil on it, so it feels greasy

Verwendungsmuster: [something] is oily
Häufiger Fehler:
Don’t use oily to mean only ‘shiny’; it usually implies an unpleasant greasy feel.
Synonyme
greasy (Most common synonym; strongly suggests unpleasant oil.) | slick (Emphasizes slipperiness or shine.) | fatty (Often used for food; focuses on fat content.)
Antonyme
dry (No oil or grease on the surface.) | non-greasy (Specifically says it does not feel greasy.)
Wortverbindungen
oily hands |oily fingers |oily surface |oily stain |oily residue |oily rag |oily mess |oily film |oily patch |oily smell
Themen
daily_life |food |cleaning
Beispiele
  • The pan was still oily even after I washed it.
  • He wiped his oily hands on a paper towel.
  • There was an oily film on the water near the dock.
Beispiele für Lernende
  • My hair feels oily today.
  • The floor is oily and slippery.
adjective B1 property
2

skin or hair producing excess oil

having too much natural oil (especially skin or hair)

Verwendungsmuster: oily [skin/hair/scalp/complexion]
Häufiger Fehler:
Oily (skin) is different from sweaty; sweat is water-based, oil is not.
Synonyme
greasy (Often used informally for oily hair or skin.) | shiny (Focuses on appearance rather than the oily feel.)
Antonyme
dry (Lacking natural moisture and oil.) | matte (Not shiny; often used in skincare/makeup contexts.)
Wortverbindungen
oily skin |oily hair |oily scalp |oily forehead |oily complexion |oily T-zone |oily roots |oily acne-prone skin |oily shine |oily moisturizer
Themen
health |beauty |body
Beispiele
  • My forehead gets oily by the afternoon.
  • She uses a gentle cleanser for oily skin.
  • His hair looks oily if he skips a day of shampoo.
Beispiele für Lernende
  • I have oily skin.
  • My hair becomes oily quickly.
adjective B1 property
3

containing too much oil (food)

with too much oil, especially in food

Verwendungsmuster: oily [food/dish/sauce]
Häufiger Fehler:
For food, oily is usually negative; ‘rich’ can be more positive in some contexts.
Synonyme
greasy (More strongly negative and very common for food.) | fatty (Focuses on fat content rather than surface oil.) | heavy (Often about how the food feels to eat/digest.)
Antonyme
light (Not greasy; easier to eat.) | low-fat (Describes reduced fat content (not exactly the same as oiliness).)
Wortverbindungen
oily food |oily fries |oily pizza |oily noodles |oily sauce |oily dressing |oily takeaway |oily aftertaste
Themen
food |restaurants
Beispiele
  • The chips were tasty but a bit oily.
  • I try to avoid oily foods late at night.
  • That sauce tastes oily and bland.
Beispiele für Lernende
  • This food is too oily.
  • The pizza was oily.
adjective C1 property
4

unpleasantly smooth and flattering

too polite in a way that feels fake

Verwendungsmuster: an oily [smile/voice/manner]
Häufiger Fehler:
This meaning describes behavior, not something literally with oil.
Synonyme
smarmy (Very common and strongly negative; implies fake friendliness.) | unctuous (More formal; emphasizes excessive, fake politeness.) | ingratiating (Focuses on trying to gain approval or favor.)
Antonyme
sincere (Genuine rather than flattering for advantage.) | straightforward (Direct and not overly flattering.)
Wortverbindungen
oily smile |oily voice |oily manner |oily charm |oily compliments |oily salesman
Themen
emotions |communication |work
Beispiele
  • He greeted us with an oily smile that made me suspicious.
  • Her oily compliments didn’t fool anyone in the room.
  • The caller had an oily voice and kept pushing a deal.
Beispiele für Lernende
  • He gave an oily smile.
Grammatik
Grundform
oily
IPA
GB/ˈɔɪli/
US/ˈɔɪli/
Silben & Betonung
oily (1 Silbe)
Stress on 1st syllable (oily)
Wortformen
Adjective
  • Base: oily
  • Comparative: oilier
  • Superlative: oiliest
Wortfamilie
Forms
oilier adjective oiliest adjective
Core family
oil noun A2
Related words
oiliness noun
Negative and opposite forms
non-oily adjective
Ausdrücke

like an oily rag

1
/lˈaɪk ən ˈɔɪli ɹˈæɡ/
idiom informal

very dirty and greasy

very dirty and messy-looking

Beispiele
  • After the long trip, we all looked like an oily rag.
  • You can’t go to the interview looking like an oily rag.

oily rag

1
/ˈɔɪli ɹˈæɡ/
fixed phrase

cloth soaked with oil

a cloth with oil on it, used for cleaning or polishing

Beispiele
  • He wiped the tools with an oily rag to stop them rusting.
  • Put oily rags in a sealed metal container to reduce fire risk.

Willkommen zurück!

Bitte melde dich an, um fortzufahren.

Noch kein Konto? Registrieren