Lewis & Short

† ŏlĕum, i, n., = ἔλαιον, oil, olive-oil.

  1. I. Lit., Cato, R. R. 64 sq.; Varr. R. R. 1, 55; Col. 12, 50; Plin. 15, 6, 6, § 21; Lex. Thor. lin. 95 Rudorff. p. 191: instillare oleum lumini, Cic. Sen. 11, 36: juventus Nudatos umeros oleo perfusa nitescit, Verg. A. 5, 135; Ov. Tr. 3, 12, 21: ungere caules oleo meliore, Hor. S. 2, 3, 125; Inscr. Orell. 748: BALNEVM CVM OLEO GRATVITO DEDIT, ib. 3738.
    As a fig. of softness, gentleness: oleo tranquillior, quieter, gentler, stiller than oil, Plaut. Poen. 5, 4, 66.
    Prov.: oleum et operam perdere (alluding to nocturnal labors), to lose one’s time and trouble, to spend them in vain, Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 119; Cic. Fam. 7, 1, 3: ne et opera et oleum philologiae nostrae perierit, id. Att. 2, 17, 1; cf.: ante lucem cum scriberem contra Epicureos, de eodem oleo et operā exaravi nescio quid ad te, id. ib. 13, 38, 1: petit hic (labor) plus temporis atque olei plus, Juv. 7, 99: oleum addere camino, to add oil to the fire, i. e. to aggravate an evil, Hor. S. 2, 3, 321 (cf. the Gr. πίττῃ καὶ ἐλαίῳ πῦρ κατασβεννύναι).
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. The palœstra (from the use of oil to anoint the bodies of wrestlers): ego eram decus olei, Cat. 63, 65.
    2. B. Transf., literary contests or rhetorical exercises: genus verborum nitidum, sed palaestrae magis et olei, quam hujus civilis turbae ac fori, more proper for exercises in the school or for disputations, than for use in public, Cic. de Or. 1, 18, 81.
    3. C. (In eccl. Lat.) The spirit, inspiration: unxit te Deus oleo exultationis, Vulg. Heb. 1, 9; id. Isa. 61, 3.