Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
train oil ExamplesWord Origin noun
- oil obtained from the blubber of whales or from seals, walruses, or other marine animals.
Origin of train oil 1545–55; earlier trane Dutch traan train oil, tear; cognate with German Träne tear Examples from the Web for train oil Historical Examples of train oil
Then I suppose they subsist on train-oil as well as codfish?
J. Ross Browne
Not for worlds would I undeceive the good fellow, not if this were train-oil.
H. M. Tomlinson
The train-oil and gunpowder were shoved out of sight in a minute.
Emily Bronte
We cleaned the rifles thoroughly and rubbed them with train-oil.
Fridtjof Nansen
One by one the men in the tent were awakened, and the train-oil lamp was lit.
Frank Norris
British Dictionary definitions for train oil train oil noun
- oil obtained from the blubber of various marine animals, esp the whale
Word Origin for train oil C16: from earlier train or trane, from Middle Low German trān or Middle Dutch traen tear, exudation