Liquid vs. Oil — What's the Difference?

A liquid is a nearly incompressible fluid that conforms to the shape of its container but retains a (nearly) constant volume independent of pressure. As such, it is one of the four fundamental states of matter (the others being solid, gas, and plasma), and is the only state with a definite volume but no fixed shape.

An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is a viscous liquid at ambient temperatures and is both hydrophobic (does not mix with water, literally "water fearing") and lipophilic (mixes with other oils, literally "fat loving"). Oils have a high carbon and hydrogen content and are usually flammable and surface active.

The state of matter in which a substance exhibits a characteristic readiness to flow and little or no tendency to disperse, and is amorphous but has a fixed volume and is difficult to compress.

A viscous liquid derived from petroleum, especially for use as a fuel or lubricant.

Matter or a specific body of matter in this state.

Oil paint

(Linguistics) A consonant articulated without friction and capable of being prolonged like a vowel, such as English l and r.

Information or facts

Of or being a liquid.

Lubricate, coat, or impregnate with oil

Melted by heating

Supply with oil as fuel

Condensed by cooling

Any of numerous mineral, vegetable, or synthetic substances or animal or vegetable fats that are generally slippery, combustible, viscous, liquid or liquefiable at room temperatures, soluble in various organic solvents such as ether but not in water, and used in a great variety of products, especially lubricants and fuels.

Flowing readily; fluid

Petroleum.

Having a flowing quality without harshness or abrupt breaks

A petroleum derivative, such as a machine oil or lubricant.

(Linguistics) Articulated without friction and capable of being prolonged like a vowel.

A protective or cosmetic liquid applied to the skin or hair.

Clear and shining

Oil paint.

Existing as or readily convertible into cash

A painting done in oil paint.

A substance that is flowing, and keeping no shape, such as water; a substance of which the molecules, while not tending to separate from one another like those of a gas, readily change their relative position, and which therefore retains no definite shape, except that determined by the containing receptacle; an inelastic fluid.

To lubricate, supply, cover, or polish with oil.

(phonetics) Any of a class of consonant sounds that includes l and r.

Liquid fat.

Flowing freely like water; fluid; not solid and not gaseous; composed of particles that move freely among each other on the slightest pressure.

Petroleum-based liquid used as fuel or lubricant.

Easily sold or disposed of without losing value.

Petroleum

Having sufficient trading activity to make buying or selling easy.

(countable) An oil painting.

Flowing or sounding smoothly or without abrupt transitions or harsh tones.

(painting) Oil paint.

(phonology) Belonging to a class of consonants comprised of the laterals and the rhotics, which in many languages behave similarly.

(attributive) Containing oil, conveying oil; intended for or capable of containing oil.

Fluid and transparent.

(transitive) To lubricate with oil.

Flowing freely like water; fluid; not solid.

(transitive) To grease with oil for cooking.

Being in such a state that the component molecules move freely among themselves, but have a definite volume changing only slightly with changes of pressure, and do not tend to separate from each other as the particles of gases and vapors do when the volume of the container is increased; neither solid nor gaseous; as, liquid mercury, in distinction from mercury solidified or in a state of vapor.

Any one of a great variety of unctuous combustible substances, more viscous than and not miscible with water; as, olive oil, whale oil, rock oil, etc. They are of animal, vegetable, or mineral origin and of varied composition, and they are variously used for food, for solvents, for anointing, lubrication, illumination, etc. By extension, any substance of an oily consistency; as, oil of vitriol.

Flowing or sounding smoothly or without abrupt transitions or harsh tones.

To smear or rub over with oil; to lubricate with oil; to anoint with oil.

Pronounced without any jar or harshness; smooth; as, l and r are liquid letters.

A slippery or viscous liquid or liquefiable substance not miscible with water

Fluid and transparent; as, the liquid air.

Oil paint used by an artist

Clear; definite in terms or amount.

Any of a group of liquid edible fats that are obtained from plants

In cash or readily convertible into cash without loss of principle; - said of assets, such as bank accounts, or short-term bonds tradable on a major stock exchange.

Cover with oil, as if by rubbing;

A substance whose parts change their relative position on the slightest pressure, and therefore retain no definite form; any substance in the state of liquidity; a fluid that is not gaseous and has a definite volume independent, of the container in which it is held. Liquids have a fixed volume at any given pressure, but their shape is determined by the container in which it is contained. Liquids, in contrast to gases, cannot expand indefinitely to fill an expanding container, and are only slightly compressible by application of pressure.

Administer an oil or ointment to ; often in a religious ceremony of blessing

A letter which has a smooth, flowing sound, or which flows smoothly after a mute; as, l and r, in bla, bra. M and n also are called liquids.

A substance that is liquid at room temperature and pressure

The state in which a substance exhibits a characteristic readiness to flow with little or no tendency to disperse and relatively high incompressibility

A substance in the fluid state of matter having no fixed shape but a fixed volume

A frictionless non-nasal continuant (especially `l' and `r')

Existing as or having characteristics of a liquid; especially tending to flow;

Filled or brimming with tears;

Clear and bright;

Changed from a solid to a liquid state;

Smooth and flowing in quality; entirely free of harshness;

Yielding; lacking any hint of hardness;

Smooth and unconstrained in movement;

In cash or easily convertible to cash;