Sleeks

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To make smooth and glossy; to give a sleek appearance to something; to style or present in a streamlined and elegant manner
2. To create a polished surface; to enhance the aesthetic qualities of an item; to arrange with a focus on sleekness and sophistication
3. To render something shiny and sleek; to improve the look by smoothing out imperfections; to fashion in a way that emphasizes a sleek design

Etymology: "Sleeks" is the third-person singular present form of "sleek", so its history is the history of that verb's root. The adjective "sleek" is a late variant of "slick", and the two words share an old sense of smoothness that once described wet, slippery surfaces. Both belong to a family that stretches into continental Germanic: German "schleichen" (to creep or sneak) and Dutch "slijk" (mud, slime) are related, reflecting an underlying idea of something slippery or gliding. The verb sense here, to make something glossy and smoothed of imperfections, grows naturally from the adjective. Polishing a surface until it gleams is the same action as making it sleek, so "sleeks" in the sense of tidying up a design carries the original image of a smooth, slippery finish into modern use.

Synonyms: smooths, polishes, glosses, shines, refines

Antonyms: roughens, dull, mars, bump, wrinkles