(as) slick as a whistle
1. adjective Quick, smooth, skillful, or easy, as in manner or movement. My new scooter is slick as a whistle in traffic. Andrea had ice skating lessons as a kid? Well, that makes sense—she is just slick as a whistle on the ice, while I'm falling all over myself! Wow, your car is as slick as a whistle now that you put that new engine in.
2. adverb In a quick, smooth, easy manner; quickly, skillfully, and neatly. Once she got into a rhythm, she had that wall built slick as a whistle. You should hear him on the phone, convincing clients as slick as a whistle to invest huge sums of money. Good job, kids. You really got the playroom cleaned up slick as a whistle.
(as) slick as snot
slang Very slippery. Be careful out there—ice has made the steps slick as snot. A: "Yeah, I polished the floor this morning. Why?" B: "It's slick as snot now, that's why!" The pouring rain made the highway slick as snot.
slick back
To brush hair to the back of the head and cause it to lie flat with water, oil, gel, or some other product. A noun or pronoun can be used between "slick" and "back." I wanted to slick my hair back for our school photos, but Mom wouldn't let me. Try slicking it back first, then style it from there.
slick chick
slang A particularly shrewd, confident, and capable woman. "Chick" is often considered somewhat condescending or derogatory. I've heard she's a real slick chick, so I have no doubt that the company is in good hands. I thought I had made a good argument, but that slick chick kept twisting my words around to suit her own narrative.
slick down
To cause hair lie flat on the head with water, oil, gel, or some other product. A noun or pronoun can be used between "slick" and "down." I woke up with this annoying cowlick, and now I have to slick my hair down with gel. I've always liked the look of boys who slick their hair down and part it on one side.
slick up
1. To cause something, usually hair, to stand on end with water, oil, gel, or some other product. A noun or pronoun can be used between "slick" and "up." I wanted to slick my hair up into spikes for our school photos, but Mom wouldn't let me.
2. To cause something to become more sleek, attractive, stylish, or sophisticated in appearance. A noun or pronoun can be used between "slick" and "up." I hate the way studios try to slick up music these days with all these computer enhancements and polish. These sorts of movies are inherently goofy and lowbrow—why try to slick them up?
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
*slick as a whistle
quickly and cleanly; quickly and skillfully. (*Also: as ~.) Tom took a broom and a mop and cleaned the place up as slick as a whistle. slick as a whistle, Sally pulled off the bandage.
slick something down
to brush or comb down hair, usually with some sort of dressing or water. He used something gooey—grease or something—to slick his hair down. Please slick down your hair. You look a mess.
slick something up
to tidy up something or some place. I have to slick this house up a little. Please slick up this room before company gets here.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
slick as a whistle
Very-smooth and neat; also, smoothly, quickly, easily. For example, That salesman is as slick as a whistle, or The fence post went in place slick as a whistle. The allusion in this simile, first recorded in 1830, is not totally clear, but presumably it refers either to the ease of producing a whistle or to its clear tone.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.