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Oleaginous

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 10:40 pm
by Dr. Goodword

• oleaginous •

Pronunciation: o-lee-æ-ji-nês • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Adjective

Meaning: 1. Oily, greasy; containing, like, or related to oil. 2. Unctuous, obsequious, overly suave and solicitous.

Notes: Although the preferred noun from this word is oleaginousness, its length and silly sound lead me to favor the rarer but more pronounceable oleaginity. The adverb is oleaginously, which can be used in many ways, including: the ring slipped off her finger oleaginously, i.e. as if greased.

In Play: A feature of county fairs back when I was a boy was a competition called the greased pole competition. In it boys tried to climb to the top of an oleaginous flag pole. Those were the days of oleaginous duck-tail hair styles held in place with an ample slathering of Brylcreem hair oil. But characters and personalities may be oily, too, and thank heaven we have a longer word than oily for such: "Some oleaginous traveling salesman sold poor Miss Judge a No. 4 shelf stretcher and promised to deliver it in two weeks."

Word History: Today's Good Word started out as Latin oleagineus "of or relating to the olive tree", but within a few hundred years its meaning had shifted to "of or related to oil". This adjective was based on the nouns olea "olive tree" (variant of oliva) and oleum "olive oil". Does oleum ring a bell? Yes, linoleum, from linum "flax, linen" + oleum "oil", was originally a company name coined by British inventor Frederick Walton. The original product of the Linoleum Company (founded in 1864) was a floor covering made of linen canvas reinforced by hardened linseed oil. The word came to rest on the floor covering itself around 1878. (There is no oleaginous substance that can help pry loose the real name of the mysterious Grogie of the Alpha Agora, but 'twas he who suggested today's Good Word.)

Re: OLEAGINOUS

Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 12:34 am
by Perry Lassiter
Smarmy is a good synonym.

Re: OLEAGINOUS

Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 6:02 am
by MTC
Yes, "smarmy" is a good synonym, and an engaging word in its own right. Think Brylcreem: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6F4GtyRfto

Re: OLEAGINOUS

Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 12:32 pm
by LukeJavan8
And to think I used that stuff, by the tube.
Lots of good memories in those old advs.

Re: OLEAGINOUS

Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 10:31 pm
by Slava
Ah, a wonderful word for stereotypically describing certain characters, especially sales-people: used cars, insurance, etc.

As to Brylcreem, I think I'll save that for another post in another section.

Re: OLEAGINOUS

Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2012 1:08 am
by bamaboy56
Ha! I never used Brylcreem myself. Back in the day I used Alberto VO5. Do they still even have that on the shelf anymore? It's a moot point now anyway since I now shave my head. Still, it brings back fond memories. :D

Re: OLEAGINOUS

Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2012 1:17 am
by Philip Hudson
Brylcreem is certainly oleaginous. Top Brass, on the other hand iwas the perfect hair dressing, controlling but not oily. Alas, they still sell Brylcreem but Top Brass has gone by the wayside. Bamaboy, if you wait long enough you wont have to shave your head. Nature does if for a large number of men.

Re: OLEAGINOUS

Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2012 1:42 am
by bamaboy56
Never heard of a product called Top Brass, although a little internet search shows it's made by Revlon and you can get it from Amazon.com as well as, supposedly, Walmart. I've never seen it on the shelf here at my local Walmart. As to shaving my head, one day about five years ago I laid down to go to sleep with a full head of hair and woke up the next morning with the "fringe" look. Lots of hair on the sides and little/nothing on top. My hats off to all those guys with the fringe, but I didn't want that look for me. After I started shaving my head I got to noticing how many other guys are shaving their head or are naturally bald headed. Quite a few!

Re: OLEAGINOUS

Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2012 10:57 am
by LukeJavan8
Having once been mocked for a comb over, I kept it
just to spite the person. Alas even it fell out.

Re: OLEAGINOUS

Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2012 9:24 pm
by bamaboy56
Ha! My wife accused me once of having used the comb over, too. I swear I do not remember ever doing that but, like you, Luke, I don't have to worry about it anymore! :D People all the time say I'm saving money on haircuts. I always say I make up for it with what I pay for shaving cream. :shock:

Re: OLEAGINOUS

Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2012 11:53 am
by LukeJavan8
Good reply, I use electric, but the cost of shaver screen and
cutters mounts up horrendously as well.

Re: OLEAGINOUS

Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2012 2:45 pm
by MTC
Pilgarlics of the world unite!

Re: OLEAGINOUS

Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2012 4:33 pm
by Perry Lassiter
Garlic comes in pills?

Re: OLEAGINOUS

Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2012 7:17 pm
by LukeJavan8
Sho'nuff!

Re: OLEAGINOUS

Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2012 8:38 pm
by Slava
Garlic comes in pills?
I guess someone doesn't get to the drug store very often.

Pilgarlic is actually from peeled garlic. A bald man's head was said to resemble a peeled clove of garlic.