# grease

/ˈɡɹis/ (US) · /ɡɹˈiːs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/grease
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. oil or fat

noun · CEFR B1

a thick, oily substance, often from animal fat or used to lubricate machines.

For teachers: any thick, oily, or fatty matter, particularly animal fat in a soft state or petroleum-based lubricants.

- The mechanic wiped the black grease off his hands with a rag.
- The industrial machinery required a specific type of high-temperature grease to prevent the gears from seizing during prolonged operation.

### 2. to lubricate

verb · CEFR B1

to put oil or fat on something so it moves easily or doesn't stick.

For teachers: to apply grease or fat to a surface, typically to reduce friction or to prepare a surface for cooking.

- You should grease the baking tin before you pour in the cake mix.
- The technician had to grease the hinges of the heavy hangar doors to ensure they opened silently during the night shift.

### 3. to bribe

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to give someone money secretly so they will help you.

For teachers: to bribe someone in order to facilitate a desired outcome; often used in the phrase 'grease someone's palm'.

- He had to grease a few palms to get the building permit approved quickly.
- The investigation revealed that the contractor had been greasing the palms of local officials for years to secure lucrative government tenders.

### 4. smooth landing

verb · CEFR C2 · Slang · Technical

to land an airplane very smoothly.

For teachers: to perform an exceptionally smooth landing, where the transition from flight to ground contact is barely perceptible.

- The pilot managed to grease the landing despite the strong crosswinds.
- Even with the gusty conditions at the airport, the captain managed to grease the landing, much to the relief of the nervous passengers.

Usage: Commonly used by pilots and aviation enthusiasts.

### 5. to kill

verb · CEFR C2 · Slang · Vulgar

to kill someone.

For teachers: to murder or assassinate someone.

- In the movie, the mobster threatened to grease anyone who talked to the police.
- The gritty crime novel depicted a world where rivals were greased over the slightest perceived insult to a gang leader's reputation.

## Examples

- The mechanic put some grease on the bicycle chain.
- The kitchen walls were covered in a thin layer of grease after years of frying food without proper ventilation.
- Heavy industrial machinery requires high-grade grease to prevent friction from damaging the internal gears during prolonged periods of high-speed operation.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.