it's not a good idea to use olive oil to lubricate the gears in an appliance
Recent Examples on the WebThe engine relies on electricity for pumps that inject fuel and circulate oil and water to keep components lubricated and cool.—Lorraine Mirabella, Baltimore Sun, 18 Apr. 2024 Another little mantra is keep it hot, keep it clean, keep it lubricated.—Kate Bradshaw, The Mercury News, 13 May 2024 Audaciously, Godwin and Fiennes interpret Shakespeare’s aphorism as the kind of meaningless cant that lubricates a man’s internal slide toward murder.—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2024 Throat lozenges help increase saliva to lubricate your throat.—Colleen Murphy, Health, 5 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for lubricate
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lubricate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
borrowed from Latin lūbricātus, past participle of lūbricāre "to make slippery," derivative of lūbricus "slippery, hard to hold, liable to lead to false steps, hazardous" — more at sleeve
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