greasy
Something that is greasy feels slippery or dirty because it is covered in oil or fat.
Explanation at your level:
Greasy means covered in oil. Think of a potato chip. If your fingers are shiny and slippery after eating it, your fingers are greasy. It is a word for things that are oily or dirty.
You use greasy to describe food that has a lot of fat, like fried chicken. You can also use it for surfaces that have oil on them, like a dirty kitchen counter. It is a common word in daily life.
Beyond food, greasy describes hair that needs washing or mechanical parts covered in lubricant. It often carries a slightly negative connotation, as it implies something is messy or needs cleaning. It is a very descriptive adjective for sensory experiences.
Greasy is frequently used in idiomatic contexts, such as greasy spoon or grease someone's palm. It describes a texture that is slippery and undesirable. In a social context, calling a person greasy is derogatory, suggesting they are unhygienic or morally questionable.
In advanced usage, greasy can be used metaphorically to describe situations or people that feel 'slippery' or insincere. It evokes a sense of moral ambiguity. While the literal meaning remains standard, the figurative application allows for nuance in literary or critical writing.
The etymological roots of greasy link it to the visceral nature of fat and lubrication. In high-level discourse, it may be used to describe the 'greasiness' of industrial environments or the 'greasy' nature of certain political maneuvers. It retains a tactile quality that is powerful in descriptive prose, emphasizing the lack of friction or the presence of unwanted residue.
30초 단어
- Means covered in oil or fat.
- Used for food, hair, or surfaces.
- Can be an insult for people.
- Rhymes with easy.
When we say something is greasy, we are usually talking about a texture. Imagine you just ate a slice of pepperoni pizza and your fingers feel slippery—that is the classic greasy feeling.
It is not just about food, though. If you work on a car engine, your hands might get greasy from the machine oil. It is a word that describes a state of being coated in something slick and often unwanted.
Sometimes, we use it to describe hair that has not been washed for a while, making it look shiny and heavy. It is a very common, everyday word that helps us describe the physical world around us.
The word greasy comes from the Middle English word grese, which meant fat or lard. This traces back to the Old French word graisse, which also meant fat.
Historically, grease was a vital resource for lubrication in machinery and for cooking. As the language evolved, the suffix -y was added to turn the noun into an adjective, describing something that has the quality of grease.
Interestingly, the word has kept its core meaning for centuries. While we now have many synthetic oils, the word greasy remains the go-to term for that specific, slightly unpleasant, oily sensation we encounter in daily life.
In casual conversation, greasy is used to describe food like burgers, fries, or fried chicken. It is a neutral-to-negative term, often implying that the food is heavy or unhealthy.
When talking about surfaces, it can be a warning. If a floor is greasy, it is dangerous because you might slip. In a workshop, it is a standard descriptor for tools or parts coated in lubricant.
Be careful using it to describe people! Calling a person greasy is usually an insult, implying they are unkempt, dirty, or even untrustworthy. Always consider the context before using it to describe someone's appearance.
1. Grease the wheels: To make a process run more smoothly. Example: A small tip helped grease the wheels of the negotiation.
2. Grease someone's palm: To bribe someone. Example: He had to grease the palm of the official to get the permit.
3. Greased lightning: Something that moves extremely fast. Example: That new sports car is like greased lightning.
4. Greasy spoon: A cheap, informal diner. Example: We stopped at a greasy spoon for a quick breakfast.
5. Grease the skids: To make it easier for something to happen, often something negative. Example: The scandal greased the skids for his resignation.
Greasy is a simple adjective. It follows the standard pattern for adjectives: The food is greasy or The greasy food.
Pronunciation varies by region. In the US, it is often pronounced /ˈɡriːzi/ (with a 'z' sound). In many parts of the UK and some US regions, it is pronounced /ˈɡriːsi/ (with an 's' sound).
It rhymes with easy, queasy, and fleecy. It is a two-syllable word with the stress on the first syllable.
Fun Fact
The word has kept its core meaning of 'fat' for over 700 years.
Pronunciation Guide
Sounds like 'gree-see'
Sounds like 'gree-zee'
Common Errors
- Misplacing stress
- Confusing 's' and 'z' sounds
- Adding extra syllables
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Easy to read
Simple to use
Common in speech
Easy to hear
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
고급
Grammar to Know
Adjective placement
The greasy pan
Linking verbs
It feels greasy
Subject-verb agreement
The plates are greasy
Examples by Level
The pizza is greasy.
pizza = food, greasy = oily
Adjective after verb
My hands are greasy.
hands = body part
Subject + be + adj
This food is greasy.
food = general noun
Demonstrative pronoun
Do not touch the greasy pan.
pan = cooking tool
Imperative sentence
I hate greasy hair.
hair = body part
Adjective + noun
The table is greasy.
table = furniture
Simple sentence
Wipe the greasy surface.
wipe = clean
Verb + object
It feels very greasy.
feels = sensory verb
Linking verb
The fries were too greasy.
He has greasy hair today.
The garage floor is greasy.
I don't like greasy food.
Wash the greasy plates.
The engine parts are greasy.
My glasses got greasy.
The burger left a greasy spot.
The fast food was delicious but very greasy.
He wiped his greasy hands on a towel.
The road was greasy from the rain and oil.
She felt greasy after the long flight.
Avoid greasy snacks if you want to be healthy.
The mechanic had greasy overalls.
The pan was too greasy to clean easily.
I could see the greasy film on the window.
The politician's smile felt a bit greasy.
We stopped at a local greasy spoon for coffee.
The gears were covered in a thick, greasy substance.
He tried to grease the wheels of the deal.
The floor was so greasy that I almost slipped.
She didn't like the greasy texture of the sauce.
His hair looked greasy and unwashed.
The deal was finalized after he greased some palms.
The atmosphere in the room was thick and greasy.
He gave a greasy, insincere apology.
The machine was coated in a layer of greasy grime.
The surface had a greasy sheen to it.
Her performance was slick, almost greasy in its perfection.
The report was full of greasy, half-baked ideas.
He moved with a greasy, calculated ease.
The situation felt greasy and morally compromised.
The greasy nature of the transaction raised eyebrows.
He possessed a greasy charm that fooled many.
The industrial landscape was defined by its greasy residue.
A greasy layer of smog covered the city.
The narrative was stained by a greasy sense of entitlement.
The greasy mechanics of the bureaucracy were exposed.
His voice had a greasy, sycophantic quality.
The entire affair left a greasy taste in my mouth.
자주 쓰는 조합
Idioms & Expressions
"grease the wheels"
to facilitate a process
A little money helped grease the wheels.
casual"grease someone's palm"
to bribe
He had to grease his palm to get in.
casual"greased lightning"
moving very fast
He was off like greased lightning.
casual"greasy spoon"
a cheap diner
Let's go to that greasy spoon.
casual"grease the skids"
to make something happen easily
They greased the skids for his promotion.
casual"grease the palm"
to pay a bribe
Don't try to grease my palm.
casualEasily Confused
similar meaning
oily is more technical
oily surface vs greasy food
both slippery
slick is about surface texture
slick road vs greasy hands
related to grease
fatty is about food content
fatty meat vs greasy burger
both imply dirt
grimy is about accumulated dirt
grimy windows vs greasy pan
Sentence Patterns
The [noun] is greasy.
The pan is greasy.
I have greasy [noun].
I have greasy hair.
Avoid greasy [noun].
Avoid greasy food.
It feels greasy.
It feels greasy to the touch.
He is a bit greasy.
He is a bit greasy in his manner.
어휘 가족
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
관련
How to Use It
7
Formality Scale
자주 하는 실수
Greasy implies insincerity or dirtiness.
Grease is the substance; greasy is the state.
Adjectives need a noun or a linking verb.
Greasy specifically implies oil or fat.
Pronunciation varies significantly.
Tips
Memory Palace
Imagine a greasy slide.
Native Speakers
Use it for food.
Cultural Insight
Greasy spoon is a classic term.
Grammar Shortcut
Adjective follows 'is'.
Say It Right
Check your local accent.
Avoid Insults
Don't call people greasy.
Did You Know?
Root is 'fat'.
Study Smart
Use it in sentences.
Context Matters
Food vs. People.
IPA Check
Listen to audio.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Grease is easy to slip on.
Visual Association
A shiny, oily slice of pepperoni pizza.
Word Web
챌린지
Describe your last meal using the word greasy.
어원
Middle English / Old French
Original meaning: fat or lard
문화적 맥락
Can be an insult when applied to a person's character or appearance.
Commonly used in the US and UK to describe diners and food quality.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
at a restaurant
- This food is too greasy
- Greasy spoon diner
in the kitchen
- Wash the greasy pan
- Greasy residue
at work
- Grease the wheels
- Greasy machine parts
talking about health
- Avoid greasy snacks
Conversation Starters
"What is the greasiest food you have ever eaten?"
"Do you prefer greasy food or healthy food?"
"How do you clean greasy pans?"
"Have you ever heard the term 'greasy spoon'?"
"Does your hair get greasy easily?"
Journal Prompts
Describe a time you ate something very greasy.
Write about a job that involves getting your hands greasy.
Explain why some people like greasy food.
How would you describe a 'greasy' person?
자주 묻는 질문
8 질문Usually, but it can just describe a physical state.
Depends on the region: 'gree-see' or 'gree-zee'.
It is usually an insult.
A cheap, informal restaurant.
No, 'grease' is the verb.
Often, yes.
No, it is informal/neutral.
Easy, queasy.
셀프 테스트
The pizza is ___.
Pizza is often oily.
Which word means oily?
Greasy means oily.
Greasy is a positive word for a person.
It is usually an insult.
Word
뜻
Synonyms match.
Subject + verb + adj.
점수: /5
Summary
Greasy describes anything coated in oil or fat, often implying it needs cleaning.
- Means covered in oil or fat.
- Used for food, hair, or surfaces.
- Can be an insult for people.
- Rhymes with easy.
Memory Palace
Imagine a greasy slide.
Native Speakers
Use it for food.
Cultural Insight
Greasy spoon is a classic term.
Grammar Shortcut
Adjective follows 'is'.
