SLICK

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does slick mean? 

• SLICK (noun)
  The noun SLICK has 4 senses:

1. a slippery smoothness

2. a magazine printed on good quality paper

3. a film of oil or garbage floating on top of water

4. a trowel used to make a surface slick

  Familiarity information: SLICK used as a noun is uncommon.

• SLICK (adjective)
  The adjective SLICK has 5 senses:

1. made slick by e.g. ice or grease

2. superficially impressive, but lacking depth and attention to the true complexities of a subject

3. having only superficial plausibility

4. having a smooth, gleaming surface reflecting light

5. marked by skill in deception

  Familiarity information: SLICK used as an adjective is common.

• SLICK (verb)
  The verb SLICK has 2 senses:

1. make slick or smooth

2. give a smooth and glossy appearance

  Familiarity information: SLICK used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SLICK (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A slippery smoothness

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

slick; slickness; slip; slipperiness

Context example:

he could feel the slickness of the tiller

Hypernyms ("slick" is a kind of...):

smoothness (a texture without roughness; smooth to the touch)

Derivation:

slick (give a smooth and glossy appearance)

slick (make slick or smooth)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A magazine printed on good quality paper

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

glossy; slick; slick magazine

Hypernyms ("slick" is a kind of...):

mag; magazine (a periodic publication containing pictures and stories and articles of interest to those who purchase it or subscribe to it)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A film of oil or garbage floating on top of water

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("slick" is a kind of...):

film (a thin coating or layer)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "slick"):

oil slick (a thin film of oil floating on top of water (especially crude oil spilled from a ship))

Sense 4

Meaning:

A trowel used to make a surface slick

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("slick" is a kind of...):

trowel (a small hand tool with a handle and flat metal blade; used for scooping or spreading plaster or similar materials)

• SLICK (adjective)

Comparative: slicker   
Superlative: slickest   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Made slick by e.g. ice or grease

Context example:

roads are slickest when rain has just started and hasn't had time to wash away the oil

Similar:

slippery; slippy (causing or tending to cause things to slip or slide)

Derivation:

slickness (a slippery smoothness)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Superficially impressive, but lacking depth and attention to the true complexities of a subject

Synonyms:

facile; neat; slick

Context example:

a slick advertising campaign

Similar:

superficial (concerned with or comprehending only what is apparent or obvious; not deep or penetrating emotionally or intellectually)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Having only superficial plausibility

Synonyms:

glib; pat; slick

Context example:

a slick commercial

Similar:

plausible (apparently reasonable and credible, and therefore convincing)

Derivation:

slickness (a kind of fluent easy superficiality)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Having a smooth, gleaming surface reflecting light

Synonyms:

satiny; silken; silklike; silky; sleek; slick

Context example:

slick seals and otters

Similar:

bright (emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts)

Derivation:

slickness (a slippery smoothness)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Marked by skill in deception

Synonyms:

crafty; cunning; dodgy; foxy; guileful; knavish; slick; sly; tricksy; tricky; wily

Context example:

a wily old attorney

Similar:

artful (marked by skill in achieving a desired end especially with cunning or craft)

Derivation:

slickness (a kind of fluent easy superficiality)

slickness (verbal misrepresentation intended to take advantage of you in some way)

• SLICK (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make slick or smooth

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

sleek; slick

Hypernyms (to "slick" is one way to...):

polish; shine; smooth; smoothen (make (a surface) shine)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

slick (a slippery smoothness)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Give a smooth and glossy appearance

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

sleek down; slick; slick down

Context example:

slick one's hair

Hypernyms (to "slick" is one way to...):

comb; comb out; disentangle (smoothen and neaten with or as with a comb)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

They slick their hair

Derivation:

slick (a slippery smoothness)