Thursday, March 26, 2009

Oleaginous

OLEAGINOUS, adj. Oily, smooth, sleek.

Disraeli once described the manner of Bishop Wilberforce as "unctuous, oleaginous, saponaceous." And the good prelate was ever afterward known as Soapy Sam. For every man there is something in the vocabulary that would stick to him like a second skin. His enemies have only to find it.

2009 Update: Having the properties of oil, in particular repulsiveness and indispensibility. Electable.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oleaginous - An adjective describing the "T-Zone" of a CEO.

Jim said...

He (I'm not naming names here) was an oily, smooth, sleek, SOB. Guess that mkes him oleaginous. I learned a new word today, now if I can just keep it in my vocabulary.
..

Jim said...

I just read the definition from the 'Dictionary.com,' maybe he should have been a banker or oil man.
..

Anonymous said...

Next time I hear a smarmy pick up line I'm using this word. Sure I can't pronounce, or spell it...it will still fit the occasion!

Nessa said...

I am surprised Obama got elected despite his lack of this "O"

TLP said...

Oh, Douglas, you have outdone yourself today. Marvelous definition! You are the absolute master of words. I can't say enough about how good you are at this.

Doug The Una said...

Poobah, help a boy out. What's a T-zone?

Whoever he is, Jim, I hope he repents.

Oh-lee-aj-in-us, Jenn. You're welcome.

Nessa, I think you might be underestimating the viscosity of our new president. I'd say more Prius than Volt.

And you, dear blogmama, the mistress of exemplification.

Tom & Icy said...

Cats and women; you think they love you until they leave you.

Words are like a penis, it's not the size or shape as much as how they're used.

Hobbes said...

Electable? Annointed.

tsduff said...

Snidely Whiplash

TLP said...

I'm betting that the T-zone is the oily part of the face: forehead and down the nose.

Anonymous said...

Add the chin, TLP.

unctuous, oleaginous, saponaceous. Words worthy of Quilly. Did you know that you could saponify an oleaginous substance and thereby become 99 and 44/100ths percent pure? I could tell you "you can do this yourself", but that would be a lye.

No I shouldn't be at work. We're celebrating royalty today, here in Hawai‘i.

Mutha said...

Is Soapy Sam any relation to Soupy Sales?

Doug The Una said...

It's the size of the word, Icy. Naïve, little dog.

Dang, Weirsdo! I wish I'd come up with that.

That would be an example, Terry. Maybe the best one.

Ah! Thanks, TLP. I can see that.

Yeah, why are you working on Prince Kuhio Day? You're right about the words. Quilly can use them next week with saponify.

First cousins on the Disraeli Gears side, I think, Mutha.

Anonymous said...

I had to look up that word. ;(

Can it be made into a spread for my English Muffins?

Jamie Dawn said...

I've always had oleaginous skin. After a few hours, I need to blot because I get shiny.

Doug The Una said...

Cooper, if Vegamite isn't oleaginous nothing is.

JD, my thoughts are like that.

Anonymous said...

Doug,
T-Zone = that area traced from forehead donw the nose that is excessively oily, and I'm told, quite the generator of cosmetic sales.