verb
sleek
sleek
verb
1
To make something smooth, glossy, or polished.
"She sleeked back her hair before stepping on stage."
How to Use Sleek
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo smooth or polish something so it looks glossy — most often used of hair or fur.
Common mistake
The adjective "sleek" (smooth, stylish) is far more common today than this verb form — most people will only ever use "sleek" as a describing word.
Common pairings
sleek back one's hair
sleeked fur
Word Forms
sleeked past tense, sleeks singular
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She _____ back her hair before stepping on stage.
Etymology
A later spelling variant of "slick," sharing roots with German schleichen ("to creep, glide").