different between greasy vs nongreasy

English

Etymology

From Middle English gresi, gressy, equivalent to grease +? -y.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /???i.si/, /???i.zi/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /???i?.si/
• Rhymes: -i?si, -i?zi

Adjective

greasy (comparative greasier, superlative greasiest)

1. Having a slippery surface; having a surface covered with grease.

   a greasy mineral

   • c. 1606, William Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra, Act V, Scene 2,^[1]

     […] mechanic slaves

     With greasy aprons, rules, and hammers, shall

     Uplift us to the view […]

   • 1961, V. S. Naipaul, A House for Mr Biswas, London: André Deutsch, Part One, Chapter 2, p. 54,^[2]

     it was in the garage that Alec worked, […] doing mysterious greasy things. Grease blackened his hairy legs; grease had turned his white canvas shoes black; grease blackened his hands even beyond the wrist; grease made his short working trousers black and stiff. Yet he had the gift, which Mr Biswas admired, of being able to hold a cigarette between greasy fingers and greasy lips without staining it.

2. Containing a lot of grease or fat.
   • c. 1795, Margaret Taylor, Mrs. Taylor’s Family Companion: or The Whole Art of Cookery Display’d, London: W. Lane, “To fry flat Fish,” p. 37,^[3]

     Before you dish them up, lay them upon a drainer before the fire sloping, for two or three minutes, which will prevent their eating greasy.
3. (slang) shady, sketchy, dodgy, detestable, unethical.
4. (obsolete) fat, bulky
   • c. 1600, William Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Act II, Scene 1,^[6]

     Let’s consult together against this greasy knight.

5. (obsolete) gross; indelicate; indecent
   • 1601, John Marston, Jack Drum’s Entertainment, London: Richard Olive, Act I,^[7]

     Now I am perfect hate, I lou’d but three things in the world, Philosophy, Thrift, and my self. Thou hast made me hate Philosophy. A Vsurers greasie Codpeece made me loath Thrift: but if all the Brewers Iades in the town can drug me from loue of my selfe, they shall doo more then e’re the seuen wise men of Greece could […]

6. (of a horse) Afflicted with the disease called grease.

Derived terms

• greasily
• greasiness
• greasy pole
• greasy spoon
• nongreasy
• ungreasy

Translations

Anagrams

• Gareys, Gearys, Yagers, gayers, gyrase, re-gays, yagers

English

Etymology

non- +? greasy

Adjective

nongreasy (not comparable)

1. Not greasy.