oiler — English Dictionary

Noun

1. One who or that which oils. An assistant in the engine room of a ship, senior only to a wiper, mainly responsible for keeping machinery lubricated.

2. One who or that which oils. Any of various automatic devices for oiling pneumatic tools or other tools.

3. An oil tanker.

   Broader terms

   shipvessel

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   The order to rename the oiler ship USNS Harvey Milk – christened four years ago – is unusual but is in line with the White House mandate to reverse a number of military initiatives by Democratic presidents.

4. Synonym of oilcan.

5. Synonym of oilcan. A small (typically thumb-sized) metal container of oil, often containing an integral brush.

6. Synonym of oil well.

7. An oilskin coat.

   Usage

   • Informal

8. A Mexican.

   Usage

   • US usage
   • ethnic
   • slur

   Synonyms

   greaser

   Examples

   Near-synonym: greaser

   There were a lot of renegades down towards the Mexican line who made a raid once in a while, and a few oilers livin' near had water holes in the foothills, […]

9. A sycophant, which is someone who is oily (smarmy).

   Usage

   • Derogatory
   • Slang

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   He also said that it was just as difficult to make friends at Cheam School and at Cambridge because he couldn't be sure who 'genuinely liked him' and who were 'trying to suck up' to him because of who he was — 'oilers', Princess Diana once called such people.

10. A heavy drinker; especially, an alcoholic.

    Usage

    • Slang

Noun

1. a worker who oils engines or machinery

   Broader terms

   worker

2. a well that yields or has yielded oil

   Synonyms

   oil well

   Broader terms

   well

3. a cargo ship designed to carry crude oil in bulk

   Synonyms

   oil tankertankertank ship

   Broader terms

   cargo shipcargo vessel