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oil change

oil change

11 2.3
Replacing old oil in a car engine with fresh oil
  • noun
  • /ɔɪl ʧeɪndʒ/
translation icon : cambio de aceite
  • Make sure to schedule an oil change every 5,000 miles to prolong your vehicle's life.

So if I have if I have a car that has a flat tire, an oil change isn't going to fix it, right?

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Examples

  • We found a trusted auto shop to get oil changes done.

    Blog text (11)
  • But I just brought it in for an oil change!

    Fiction book (1994)
  • Oh, and I got an oil change last year.

  • Man, I think I need an oil change.

  • Oh, man, this is my third oil change today.

  • Sounds like somebody needs an oil change.

  • Come in for an oil change, and get a free ticket to the game.

  • Also, be sure to get oil changes regularly so your engine is operating efficiently.

    Blog text (28)
  • She'll need an oil change in about 1000 miles.

  • You should get an oil change in Boston or thereabout before coming back.

Surface Forms

oil change singular
oil changes plural

Morphology

oil + change

The meaning 'the process of replacing old oil with fresh oil' is directly and compositionally derived from 'oil' (the substance) + 'change' (to replace). This noun phrase follows a common, literal pattern (object + action) familiar across many languages and would be easily understood by a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

Oil change comes from the simple act of removing old, dirty oil from an engine and putting in fresh oil. So, it means 'the regular service to keep a car running smoothly'.