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sleek - 9 dictionary results

sleek

1  [sleek]
Use sleek in a Sentence
–adjective, -er, -est.
1. smooth or glossy, as hair, an animal, etc.
2. well-fed or well-groomed.
3. trim and graceful; finely contoured; streamlined: a sleek sports car.
4. smooth in manners, speech, etc.; suave.
5. cleverly or deceitfully skillful; slick: a sleek confidence man.
Origin:
1580–90; var. of slick 1

Related forms:
sleekly, adverb
sleekness, noun

Synonyms:
5. smooth, suave.

sleek

2  [sleek]
–verb (used with object)
to make sleek; smooth; slick: to sleek leather.
Also, sleeken.

Origin:
1400–50; late ME sleken, var. of slick 2

Related forms:
sleeker, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To sleek
sleek   (slēk)   
adj.   sleek·er, sleek·est
  1. Smooth and lustrous as if polished; glossy: brushed her hair until it was sleek.
  2. Well-groomed and neatly tailored.
  3. Healthy or well-fed; thriving.
  4. Polished or smooth in manner, especially in an unctuous way; slick.
tr.v.   sleeked, sleek·ing, sleeks
  1. To make sleek; slick: sleeked his hair with pomade.
  2. To gloss over; conceal.

[Variant of slick.]
sleek'ly adv., sleek'ness n.
Synonyms: These adjectives mean having a smooth gleaming surface: sleek black fur; glossy auburn hair; satiny gardenia petals; silken butterfly wings; silky skin; slick otters.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Sleek

Sleek\, n. A slick.

Sleek

Sleek\, a. [Compar. Sleeker; superl. Sleekest.] [OE. slik; akin to Icel. sl[=i]kr, and OE. sliken to glide, slide, G. schleichen, OHG. sl[=i]hhan, D. slik, slijk, mud, slime, and E. slink. Cf. Slick, Slink.]

1. Having an even, smooth surface; smooth; hence, glossy; as, sleek hair. --Chaucer.

So sleek her skin, so faultless was her make. --Dryden.

2. Not rough or harsh.

Those rugged names to our like mouths grow sleek. --Milton.

Sleek

Sleek\, adv. With ease and dexterity. [Low]

Sleek

Sleek\, n. That which makes smooth; varnish. [R.]

Sleek

Sleek\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Sleeked;p. pr. & vb. n. Sleeking.] To make even and smooth; to render smooth, soft, and glossy; to smooth over.

Sleeking her soft alluring locks. --Milton.

Gentle, my lord, sleek o'er your rugged looks. --Shak.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : sleek
Spanish: liso, lustroso,
German: glatt,
Japanese: なめらかな
More Translations »

sleek  (adj.)
1589, variant of M.E. slike (see slick). Originally of healthy-looking animal hair; applied to persons 1637, with sense of "plump and smooth-skinned."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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