sleek

A late variant of slick; cognate to German schleichen (Old High German slihhan) and Dutch slijk (“mud, slime”). Compare slink.

• IPA^(key): /sliːk/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -iːk

sleek (comparative sleeker, superlative sleekest)

1. Having an even, smooth surface; smooth

   Synonyms: frictionless, silky; see also Thesaurus:smooth

   sleek hair

   • 1717, John DrydenSamuel Garthet al., “Book 1”, in Metamorphoses, translation of Metamorphoses by Ovid, line 837:

     So sleek her skin, so faultless was her make.

2. Glossy.

   Synonyms: glacé, sheeny; see also Thesaurus:glossy

3. Not rough or harsh.

   Synonyms: civilized, classy, elegant, graceful, refined

   • 1673, John Milton, “Sonnet 11”, in Poems, line 10:

     Those rugged names to our like mouths grow sleek.

4. Slim and streamlined; not plump, thick, or stocky.

   Synonyms: lithe, svelte; see also Thesaurus:slender

5. (of stock animals) Healthy, well-fed and well-groomed; in good condition.
6. Dated form of slick (“convincing but untrustworthy”).
   • 1892, The Critic, volume 20, page 229:

     'Are these the Carrara marbles?' the lady queried. 'Yes, madam,' responded the sleek salesman.

• sleekly
• sleekness
• sleekstone

sleek (not comparable)

1. (dated, colloquial) With ease and dexterity.

   Synonyms: clean, slick

sleek (third-person singular simple present sleeks, present participle sleeking, simple past and past participle sleeked)

1. (transitive) To make smooth or glossy; to polish.
   • 1895, The New Technical Educator, page 258:

     The sloping brush sleeks the surface.

2. (transitive, dated) To calm or soothe.
3. (intransitive, dated) To glide.

sleek (uncountable)

1. That which makes smooth; varnish.

• Keels, Klees, Leske, Selke, elkes, keels, leeks, skeel

Variant of slick.

• IPA^(key): /slik/

sleek (comparative sleeker, superlative sleekest)

1. sleek

sleek (third-person singular simple present sleeks, present participle sleekin, simple past sleekit, past participle sleekit)

1. to sleek

• → Irish: slíoc