Lube

How to spell lube

4 letters · 1 syllable

How to pronounce lube

What does lube mean?

1. nounAn oil, grease, or other substance applied to reduce friction between moving parts.
2. verbTo apply oil or grease to something so it moves more freely.

Lube in a sentence

• noun

  The mechanic squirted some lube onto the squeaky hinge.

• verb

  Remember to lube the door hinges before they start to rust.

• noun

  A tube of lube keeps the bike chain running smoothly.

• verb

  You should lube the bearings every few months to avoid wear.

Where does lube come from?

Language of origin: Latin

Lube is a casual twentieth-century shortening of the longer words 'lubricant' and 'lubricate', both of which trace back to the Latin verb lubricare, meaning 'to make slippery or smooth'. That verb grew from the adjective lubricus, which literally meant 'slippery' and was also used figuratively for anything unsteady or prone to slipping. English took the full forms 'lubricate' and 'lubricant' in the seventeenth century to describe oiling machinery and easing friction. The clipped 'lube' arose in workshop and motor-trade slang during the early 1900s, where mechanics needed a quick word for greasing engines and parts. Because it is simply the front of 'lubricant' with the rest dropped, the spelling stays short and phonetic, which is why it is rarely misspelled.

How the word is built

• clipped form of lubricant / lubricate, from lubric- (from Latin lubricus: slippery)