wool grease
- noun
- /wʊl ɡriːs/
- Specialized
:
grasa de lana
- The ointment was effective because it contained wool grease, which helps to moisturize the skin.
Examples
-
She applied a cream that included wool grease to soothe her dry hands.
-
It was made of oxhide, sewn with linen thread, and waterproofed with wool grease.
Fiction book (1991) -
Many cosmetics use wool grease for its hydrating properties and natural ingredients.
Synonyms
2
7.5
A yellow wax from sheep's wool that people put in creams to soften and protect skin
A yellow, greasy material from sheep's wool used in creams and skin products
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'wool' (sheep hair) + 'grease' (oily/fatty substance) yields an oily substance produced from wool. This straightforward noun compound follows common cross-linguistic patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the intended meaning.
Etymology
Wool grease comes from the greasy, yellow oil that sticks to a sheep's fleece after shearing; the words wool and grease show that literal image. That oily substance, called 'lanolin', was used in soaps and skin creams, so wool grease now means the animal oil used in ointments and cosmetics.