Dictionary

eely en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈiːli/ (UK)
• (General-American) audio

Etymology

From eel + -y.

Meanings

1. Resembling an eel: long, thin and slippery.
   • Veteran alto saxist Lou Donaldson faces the audience with a raised eyebrow and a toothy grin, and his horn's high-pitched, eely timbre--which still has plenty of the grease that made him a soul-jazz hero in the 60s and 70s--complements his squeaky voice. 2004 August 13, Neil Tesser, “Lou Donaldson Quartet with Dr. Lonnie Smith”, in Chicago Reader:
   • That was a great long eely thing; but Joe Cross here says this was more like a great turtle, with flippers and a long neck, and a head like a snake." 1904, George Manville Fenn, The Ocean Cat's Paw:
   • Any eely creature that manages to blow itself up from “Pink, lank and warm” to a long wiener doing the hula tends to seize the imagination of us moderns. 1990, Camille Paglia, Sexual Personae:
   • The great ugly sharky fish was hooked forward by Josh and placed in a great basket, where it lay writhing its eely tail, and flapping its wing-like fins as the boat slowly progressed, and bait after bait was replaced, many being untouched, the thornback, skate, or ray being the only fish taken. 1850, George Manville Fenn, Menhardoc:

Forms

Translations (1)

de aalglatt (Thin and slippery)