oily
7
6.7
- adjective
- /ˈɔɪli/
:
meloso
- " Let me get this straight, then, Captain Solo, " Borsk Fey'lya said with his usual oily politeness.
- oily smile
- oily voice
- oily character
Examples
-
The politician's speech was filled with oily compliments that felt insincere.
-
She noticed the oily manner in which he flattered her, and it made her suspicious.
-
The sun is high; her skin is a lake of oily sweat.
Fiction book (1990) -
But if you're not trying to look oily, this might be a problem.
-
Can moisturize without giving me too much of an oily look.
-
"Whom have I the extreme honor and privilege to be addressing, monsieur?" Uncle asked in the oily voice he used when speaking to rich people.
Fiction book (2001) -
There is an oily menace behind the shopkeeper's smile.
Fiction book (2002) -
Dagget appeared promptly, as oily, polite, and forthcoming as ever.
Fiction book (2001) -
"Dagget did so with his usual oily suaveness.
Fiction book (2001) -
He's so oily, you can fry chicken on that man's smile.
Synonyms
12
8.1
Too polite and friendly in a way that does not seem real
3
9.7
A person who gives too many fake compliments to try to please people
3
9.3
Too much praise that sounds false and makes people uncomfortable
1
7.9
Talking in a smooth, not sincere way to seem friendly
1
7.1
Trying to please others with smooth words that are not sincere
1
9.9
Too smooth and friendly in a fake, unpleasant way
Antonyms
Compounds
How Insincere
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Oily also uses the idea of oil being smooth and slippery to describe a person's speech or behaviour; an 'oily' person seems too smooth, and this feels false or hard to trust. That's why oily can mean unpleasantly flattering or insincere.