1.
cold sweat; clammy sweat; greasy perspiration
A thick, sticky sweat that appears on the skin during moments of extreme pain, anxiety, fear, or physical strain. Unlike ordinary sweat from heat or exercise, this perspiration has an oily quality and signals distress.
A compound of 脂 (oil, grease) and 汗 (sweat). The name reflects the sticky, oily texture of this type of perspiration, which differs noticeably from the watery sweat produced by heat or exercise.
The word carries strong connotations of physical or psychological distress. It appears frequently in fiction to convey a character's suffering, fear, or extreme tension.
Common collocations
- 脂汗をかく: to break out in a cold sweat
- 脂汗が出る: cold sweat comes out
- 脂汗がにじむ: cold sweat seeps out
- 脂汗が流れる: cold sweat streams down