oily
adj. B1 Intermediate US //ˈɔɪɫi// UK //ˈɔɪli// oily
adj. covered in or containing a lot of oil. It can also describe someone who acts too friendly in a way that feels fake or dishonest.
adj. covered with, containing, or resembling oil; in a figurative sense, describes a person who is unpleasantly smooth or insincere in their behavior.
My skin feels very oily after a long day outside.
The mechanic wiped his oily hands on a rag before picking up the phone.
The politician's oily manner during the interview made many viewers doubt the sincerity of his sudden apology for the scandal.
From Middle English oylei, equivalent to oil + -y. Compare German ölig (“oily”), Swedish oljig (“oily”).
Usage
Often used predicatively after 'feel' or 'look', or attributively before nouns like 'skin', 'rag', or 'smile'.