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Grease
Grease (1972), a musical comedy by Jim Jacobs, Warren Casey (book, lyrics, music). [Eden Theatre, 3,388 perf.] Innocent, sweet Sandy Dumbrowski ( Carole Demas) transfers from Immaculata to Rydell High, where she promptly wins the affection of Danny Zuko ( Barry Bostwick), a member of the “Burger Palace Boys,” a tough‐talking but harmless gang of youngsters who are known as greasers because of their slicked‐down hair. When Danny refuses to conform to her canons of behavior, she dons tight jeans, changes to a bouffant hairdo, and stoops to conquer. At the same time she gives her rival, Betty Rizzo ( Adrienne Barbeau), her comeuppance. Notable songs: Greased Lightnin'; Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee; Summer Nights; Freddy, My Love; Beauty School Dropout. After expressing the bewilderment of so many that this totally undistinguished musical, whose songs reverted to the rock and roll styles of the late 1950s, could become (for a time) the longest‐running show in Broadway history, musical theatre historian Stanley Green attempted to explain its success by concluding, “But obviously the musical hit a nerve. Though the air was primarily one of parody, Grease let us see with unerring authenticity and total lack of sentimentality the way kids actually looked and acted and felt during those . . . days that we look back on as somehow being both placid and plastic.” The musical moved from Off Broadway to the Broadhurst and then Royale Theatres for its long run. A 1994 Broadway revival was also very popular, and the musical continues to be a favorite in schools.
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Cite this article
Gerald Bordman and Thomas S. Hischak. "Grease." The Oxford Companion to American Theatre. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. Gerald Bordman and Thomas S. Hischak. "Grease." The Oxford Companion to American Theatre. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O149-Grease.html Gerald Bordman and Thomas S. Hischak. "Grease." The Oxford Companion to American Theatre. 2004. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O149-Grease.html |
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grease
grease • n. / grēs/ oily or fatty matter, in particular: ∎ a thick oily substance used as a lubricant: axle grease. ∎ oil or fat used or produced in cooking. ∎ oily matter in the hair, esp. when used for styling. ∎ the oily matter in unprocessed wool; lanolin. • v. / grēs; grēz/ [tr.] smear or lubricate with grease: [as adj.] (greased) place on a greased baking sheet. PHRASES: grease the palm of inf. bribe (someone). grease the skids inf. help matters run smoothly: his mission was to use his budgetary skills to grease the skids for new projects. grease the wheels help something go smoothly: it is inadequate to grease the wheels of recovery. like greased lightning inf. extremely fast: you come up with plans faster than greased lightning.DERIVATIVES: grease·less adj. ORIGIN: Middle English: from Old French graisse, based on Latin crassus ‘thick, fat.’ |
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Cite this article
"grease." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "grease." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-grease.html "grease." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-grease.html |
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grease
grease mixture of lubricant and thickener. It is used to reduce friction between surfaces from which oils would leak away or cause damage by dripping, or where lubrication must be assured for extended periods. Many greases are mixtures of mineral oil and soap. The more common of them contain a calcium-base soap that withstands water but not high temperature, or a sodium-base soap that withstands higher temperatures and adheres well but dissolves in water. Other soaps used in greases have bases of lithium, aluminum, barium, or strontium. Nonsoap thickeners include carbon black, which is unaffected by temperature and is therefore used with extreme low-temperature lubricants; silica gel; and bentonite, a clay developed for universal greases. Solid lubricants are sometimes used for extreme bearing pressures and high temperatures. Synthetic oils are sometimes used for special conditions, generally temperature extremes. |
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Cite this article
"grease." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "grease." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-grease.html "grease." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-grease.html |
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grease
grease melted fat XIII; fat of a beast of the chase XIV. — AN. grece, gresse, (O)F. graisse :- Rom. *crassia, f. L. crassus fat.
Hence grease vb. XV. greasy XVI. |
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "grease." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "grease." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-grease.html T. F. HOAD. "grease." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-grease.html |
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grease
grease
•anis, apiece, Berenice, caprice, cassis, cease, coulisse, crease, Dumfries, fils, fleece, geese, grease, Greece, kris, lease, Lucrece, MacNeice, Matisse, McAleese, Nice, niece, obese, peace, pelisse, piece, police, Rees, Rhys, set piece, sublease, surcease, two-piece, underlease
•mantelpiece • headpiece • hairpiece
•tailpiece • Greenpeace
•chimney piece • frontispiece
•timepiece • codpiece • crosspiece
•mouthpiece • showpiece • earpiece
•masterpiece
•centrepiece (US centerpiece)
•altarpiece • workpiece • ambergris
•calabrese
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Cite this article
"grease." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "grease." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-grease.html "grease." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-grease.html |
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