Is 'degrease' a common word?

No, it's a low-frequency word used primarily in specific technical, mechanical, or culinary contexts.

Can 'degrease' be used for removing any kind of dirt?

No. It specifically refers to removing grease, oil, or fat. For general dirt, words like 'clean' or 'wash' are used.

What's the noun form of 'degrease'?

The process is called 'degreasing'. A substance used for it is a 'degreaser'.

Is there a difference between 'degrease' and 'defat'?

They are very close synonyms. 'Defat' is more common in culinary and scientific contexts (e.g., defatted soy flour), while 'degrease' is broader, used in mechanics and industry.

degrease

Low

UK/ˌdiːˈɡriːs/US/ˌdiˈɡris/

Technical/Industrial/Culinary

My Flashcards

Definition

Meaning

To remove grease or fat from something.

To clean something by removing oily, greasy, or fatty substances, often as a preparatory step in industrial, mechanical, or culinary processes.

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

Primarily a transitive verb focused on a cleaning/preparation action. Often implies a process using a solvent, detergent, or mechanical action.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant difference in meaning or usage. Spelling is consistent.

Connotations

Neutral and functional in both varieties.

Frequency

Equally low-frequency in both dialects, confined to specific technical contexts.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong

degrease the enginedegrease the partsdegrease the surface

medium

degrease thoroughlydegrease completelydegrease before painting

weak

degrease the pandegrease the metaldegrease the machinery

Grammar

Valency Patterns

[Subject] degreases [Object][Object] needs to be degreased

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Strong

delipidate (highly technical/biological)defat (technical/culinary)

Neutral

de-fatremove grease fromclean the grease off

Weak

cleanwipe downwash

Vocabulary

Antonyms

greaselubricateoil

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

“No common idioms”

Usage

Context Usage

Business

Used in maintenance, manufacturing, or catering supply contexts (e.g., 'The contract includes degreasing the factory vents quarterly').

Academic

Rare; might appear in engineering, chemistry, or food science texts describing processes.

Everyday

Uncommon. A cook might say 'Degrease the stock' or a DIY enthusiast 'I need to degrease this bike chain.'

Technical

Common in manuals for mechanics, industrial cleaning, metal preparation, and culinary arts.

Examples

By Part of Speech

verb

British English

You must degrease the component before applying the new adhesive.
The mechanic degreased the engine block meticulously.

American English

Always degrease the grill after a barbecue.
The manual says to degrease the parts with this solvent.

adverb

British English

No standard adverb form.

American English

No standard adverb form.

adjective

British English

No standard adjective form. 'Degreasing' is used as a modifier (e.g., a degreasing agent).

American English

No standard adjective form. 'Degreasing' is used as a modifier (e.g., degreasing solution).

Examples

By CEFR Level

The cook will degrease the soup.

Before you repair it, you should degrease the metal surface.

Industrial solvents are often required to effectively degrease heavy machinery.

The new enzymatic cleaner can degrease the component without corroding the underlying alloy.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think: DE-GREASE. 'DE' means 'remove' + 'GREASE'. You're taking the grease OFF.

Conceptual Metaphor

CLEANING IS PURIFYING / PREPARATION IS PURIFICATION.

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

Avoid literal translation with 'градус' ('degree'). The word is 'degrease', not 'degree+se'. Think 'обезжиривать'.

Common Mistakes

Misspelling as 'degreeze' or 'degreese'.
Using it intransitively (e.g., 'It degreases well' is possible but less common than the transitive use).

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap

To prepare the surface for painting, you must first it thoroughly to ensure the primer adheres properly.

Multiple Choice

In which context would 'degrease' be the LEAST appropriate verb?

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

: No, it's a low-frequency word used primarily in specific technical, mechanical, or culinary contexts.
: No. It specifically refers to removing grease, oil, or fat. For general dirt, words like 'clean' or 'wash' are used.
: The process is called 'degreasing'. A substance used for it is a 'degreaser'.
: They are very close synonyms. 'Defat' is more common in culinary and scientific contexts (e.g., defatted soy flour), while 'degrease' is broader, used in mechanics and industry.