en
oil tanker
/ˈɔɪl ˌtæŋ.kər/
Definition
1
A specialized merchant vessel designed for the bulk transportation of crude oil or refined petroleum products in liquid state.
2
A floating behemoth of the high seas, tasked with keeping the global economy lubricated while occasionally starring in environmental headlines.
Examples
The oil tanker navigated the strait with all the grace and rhythmic precision of an intoxicated whale in a bathtub.
I told my therapist I feel like an oil tanker, mostly because I move at glacial speeds and spill my emotions everywhere when I bump into a minor inconvenience.
Modern oil tankers are so large that some have their own zip codes, or at least that is what the crew tells themselves to feel better about being stuck at sea for six months.