grease

Everyday

1. Grease is a thick, oily substance used to make machine parts move smoothly. tree →
2. Grease is soft animal fat, especially after cooking, like bacon grease. tree →
3. Grease is oil on skin or hair. tree →
4. (verb) To grease something is to put fat, butter or oil on it, like greasing a cake tin. tree →
5. (slang) «Grease someone's palm» means to bribe them. tree →

In the lessons

In cooking lessons pupils grease a baking tin so the cake does not stick; in science, grease reduces friction. In everyday life, grease stains clothes and needs soap to clean. Phrases: elbow grease (hard work), grease a tin, grease the wheels.

Examples

• Grease the tin with butter before you pour in the mix. tree →
• The bike chain needs some grease. tree →
• The pan was covered in bacon grease. tree →
• It took a lot of elbow grease to clean the oven. tree →
• Grease reduces friction between the moving parts. tree →
• His hands were black with grease after fixing the car. tree →
• Soap helps wash grease off plates. tree →
• Put some bear’s grease on your beard and that will soon make it grow again.’ tree →

Note

Uncountable noun: some grease, not «a grease». Adjective: greasy. Say: noun «greess»; verb «greess» or «greez». «Elbow grease» is an idiom for hard scrubbing work. Safety: never pour hot grease down the sink; do not put water on a grease fire.