slick
slick Lexical Profile
slick Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Having a smooth, glossy, or slippery surface, especially due to being covered with water, ice, or oil.
"The mountain road became dangerously slick after the freezing rain began to fall."
Done or operating in an impressively smooth, efficient, and polished manner.
"The software company delivered a slick presentation that immediately won over the investors."
Superficially attractive, plausible, or clever, but lacking depth, sincerity, or trustworthiness.
"Voters grew skeptical of the candidate's slick promises and rehearsed answers."
• noun
A smooth, glossy patch or film of oil or another substance floating on water or smeared on a surface.
"Coast Guard crews worked through the night to contain the massive oil slick before it reached the shoreline."
A wide, smooth, treadless tire used primarily on racing cars to maximize surface contact and traction on dry pavement.
"The pit crew fitted the race car with a fresh set of racing slicks before the qualifying laps."
A heavy, wide-bladed chisel used by carpenters and shipwrights for paring and smoothing large wooden surfaces by hand.
"The timber framer used a sharp slick to pare the tenon cheeks until the joint fit perfectly."
• verb
To make something smooth, glossy, or flat, especially by applying water, oil, or pomade to hair.
"He slicked his hair back with pomade before heading out to the formal dinner."
North American To make a place or person look neat, tidy, or smartly dressed (usually used with 'up').
"The homeowners spent the weekend slicking up the property before the open house."
• adverb
North American In a smooth, clever, or adroit manner; deftly or completely.
"The mechanic slid the replacement part slick into place without wasting a second."
• Rhymes for slick
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English slike ('smooth, glossy'), derived from Old English *slic (attested in the verb *slician, 'to make smooth'), from Proto-Germanic *slikaz, which is also the root of 'sleek'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.