Oleaginous

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Oleaginous

Postby Dr. Goodword » Fri Sep 28, 2012 10:40 pm

• 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.)
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Re: OLEAGINOUS

Postby Perry Lassiter » Sat Sep 29, 2012 12:34 am

Smarmy is a good synonym.
pl

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Re: OLEAGINOUS

Postby MTC » Sat Sep 29, 2012 6:02 am

Yes, "smarmy" is a good synonym, and an engaging word in its own right. Think Brylcreem: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6F4GtyRfto

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Re: OLEAGINOUS

Postby LukeJavan8 » Sat Sep 29, 2012 12:32 pm

And to think I used that stuff, by the tube.
Lots of good memories in those old advs.
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Re: OLEAGINOUS

Postby Slava » Sat Sep 29, 2012 10:31 pm

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.
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Re: OLEAGINOUS

Postby bamaboy56 » Mon Oct 01, 2012 1:08 am

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
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Re: OLEAGINOUS

Postby Philip Hudson » Mon Oct 01, 2012 1:17 am

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.
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Re: OLEAGINOUS

Postby bamaboy56 » Mon Oct 01, 2012 1:42 am

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!
Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I'm going to change myself. -- Rumi

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Re: OLEAGINOUS

Postby LukeJavan8 » Mon Oct 01, 2012 10:57 am

Having once been mocked for a comb over, I kept it
just to spite the person. Alas even it fell out.
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Re: OLEAGINOUS

Postby bamaboy56 » Mon Oct 01, 2012 9:24 pm

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:
Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I'm going to change myself. -- Rumi

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Re: OLEAGINOUS

Postby LukeJavan8 » Tue Oct 02, 2012 11:53 am

Good reply, I use electric, but the cost of shaver screen and
cutters mounts up horrendously as well.
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Re: OLEAGINOUS

Postby MTC » Tue Oct 02, 2012 2:45 pm

Pilgarlics of the world unite!

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Re: OLEAGINOUS

Postby Perry Lassiter » Tue Oct 02, 2012 4:33 pm

Garlic comes in pills?
pl

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Re: OLEAGINOUS

Postby LukeJavan8 » Tue Oct 02, 2012 7:17 pm

Sho'nuff!
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Re: OLEAGINOUS

Postby Slava » Tue Oct 02, 2012 8:38 pm

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.
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.


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