oi l tank|er (oil tankers ) N‑COUNT An oil tanker is a ship that is used for transporting oil.
oi l well (oil wells ) N‑COUNT An oil well is a deep hole which is made in order to get oil out of the ground.
oily /ɔ I li/ (oilier , oiliest )
1 ADJ Something that is oily is covered with oil or contains oil. □ He was wiping his hands on an oily rag. □ When she was younger, she had very oily skin.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Oily means looking, feeling, tasting, or smelling like oil. □ …traces of an oily substance.
3 ADJ If you describe someone as oily , you dislike them because you think they are too polite or say exaggeratedly nice things, and are insincere. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ He had behaved with undue and oily familiarity.
oint|ment /ɔ I ntmənt/ (ointments )
1 N‑VAR An ointment is a smooth thick substance that is put on sore skin or a wound to help it heal. □ A range of ointments and creams is available for the treatment of eczema. □ He received ointment for his flaking skin.
2 PHRASE If you describe someone or something as a fly in the ointment , you think they spoil a situation and prevent it being as successful as you had hoped. □ Rachel seems to be the one fly in the ointment of Caroline's smooth life.
OK /oʊ ke I / → see okay
okay ◆◆◇ /oʊ ke I / (okays , okaying , okayed ) also OK , O.K. , ok
1 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you say that something is okay , you find it satisfactory or acceptable. [INFORMAL ] □ …a shooting range where it's OK to use weapons. □ Is it okay if I come by myself? □ I guess for a fashionable restaurant like this the prices are OK. ● ADV [ADV after v] Okay is also an adverb. □ We seemed to manage okay for the first year or so after David was born.
2 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you say that someone is okay , you mean that they are safe and well. [INFORMAL ] □ Check that the baby's okay. □ 'Don't worry about me,' I said. 'I'll be okay.'
3 CONVENTION You can say ' Okay ' to show that you agree to something. [INFORMAL , FORMULAE ] □ 'Just tell him Sir Kenneth would like to talk to him.'—'OK.' □ 'Shall I give you a ring on Friday?'—'Yeah okay.'
4 CONVENTION You can say ' Okay? ' to check whether the person you are talking to understands what you have said and accepts it. [INFORMAL ] □ We'll get together next week, OK?
5 CONVENTION You can use okay to indicate that you want to start talking about something else or doing something else. [INFORMAL ] □ OK. Now, let's talk some business. □ Tim jumped to his feet. 'Okay, let's go.'
6 CONVENTION You can use okay to stop someone arguing with you by showing that you accept the point they are making, though you do not necessarily regard it as very important. [INFORMAL ] □ Okay, there is a slight difference. □ Okay, so I'm forty-two.
7 VERB If someone in authority okays something, they officially agree to it or allow it to happen. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n] His doctor wouldn't OK the trip. ● N‑SING Okay is also a noun. □ He gave the okay to issue a new press release.
okey doke /oʊ ke I doʊ k/ or okey dokey CONVENTION Okey doke is used in the same way as 'OK' to show that you agree to something, or that you want to start talking about something else or doing something else. [INFORMAL , SPOKEN ] □ Okey doke. I'll give you a ring.
okra /oʊ krə/ N‑UNCOUNT Okra is a vegetable that consists of long green parts containing seeds.
old ◆◆◆ /oʊ ld/ (older , oldest )
1 ADJ Someone who is old has lived for many years and is no longer young. □ …a white-haired old man. □ [+ for ] He was considered too old for the job. ● N‑PLURAL The old are people who are old. This use could cause offence. □ …providing a caring response for the needs of the old.
2 ADJ [oft as ADJ as ] You use old to talk about how many days, weeks, months, or years someone or something has lived or existed. □ He was abandoned by his father when he was three months old. □ The paintings in the chapel were perhaps a thousand years old. □ How old are you now? □ Bill was six years older than David.
3 ADJ Something that is old has existed for a long time. □ She loved the big old house. □ These books must be very old. □ …an old Arab proverb.
4 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Something that is old is no longer in good condition because of its age or because it has been used a lot. □ He took a bunch of keys from the pocket of his old corduroy trousers. □ …an old toothbrush.
5 ADJ [ADJ n] You use old to refer to something that is no longer used, that no longer exists, or that has been replaced by something else. □ The old road had disappeared under grass and heather. □ Although the old secret police have been abolished, the military police still exist.
6 ADJ You use old to refer to something that used to belong to you, or to a person or thing that used to have a particular role in your life. □ I'll make up the bed in your old room. □ Mark was heartbroken when Jane returned to her old boyfriend.
7 ADJ [ADJ n] An old friend, enemy, or rival is someone who has been your friend, enemy, or rival for a long time. □ I called my old friend John Horner. □ The French and English are old rivals.