slee3+ (sle)

[ sleeking II. n. A smooth, shining place or spot. Specifically - ( a ) A place on the fur or hair of an animal which has been made sleek by licking or the like. (b) A smooth place on the water, caused by eddies or by the presence of fish or of oil. [U. S.] You have seen on the surface of the sea those smooth places which fishermen and sailors call slicks . Our boatman said they were caused by the blue fish chopping up their prey,.... and that the oil from this butchery, rising to the surface, makes the slick. Whatever the cause may be, we invariably found fish plenty whenever we came to a slick. D. Webster, Private Correspondence, II. 333. One man, on a sperm whaler, is stationed on the main or mizzen chains or in the starboard boat with a scoop net, to skim slicks while the head of the whale is being severed from the body - that is, to save the small pieces of blubber and "loose" oil which float upon the water. Fisheries of U. S. , V. ii. 283. sleek, slick1 (slēk, slik), v. [Early mod. E. also slecke; hair. I slecke , I make paper smothe with a slekestone, Je fais gli ant. Palsgrave , p. 720. There she doth bathe, And sleek her hair, and practise cunning looks To entertain me with. Beau . and Fl . , Woman-Hater, iv. 1. Fair Ligea's golden comb, Wherewith she sits on diamond rocks, Sleeking her soft alluring locks. Milton, Comus, 1. 882. The old servant was daunted by seeing Sylvia in a strange place, and stood, sleeking his hair down, and furtively looking about him. Mrs. Gaskell , Sylvia's Lovers, xxx. Technically-(a) In currying and leather- dre ing , to smooth the surface of (leather) by rubbing with an implement called a slicker . (b) In hat - making , to attach (fur) to felt by hand-work. 2. To smooth; remove roughne from. Gentle my lord, sleek o'er your rugged looks. Shak ., Macbeth, iii. 2. 27. For her fair pa age even alleys make, And, as the soft winds waft her sails along, Sleek every little dimple of the lake. akin to sleek , slick . Cf. sludge, slush, slosh .] Thick river-mud; sludge; slime. And wayuerand, weike, [I] wan to the lond, Thurgh the slicche and the sly me in this slogh feble, There tynt haue I truly myche tried goode. And I will goe gaither slyche , The shippe for to caulke and pyche. Chester Plays, I. 47.