well-oiled machine

plural well-oiled machines

1. figurativelyidiomaticSomething that operates capably through the effective coordination of many parts.

   run like a well-oiled machine

   5 more examples

   Our office runs like a well-oiled machine.

   Our office is a well-oiled machine.

   Trevor was the firm's facilities manager and it was his job to make sure that their office ran like a well-oiled machine and that the partners, attorneys, and staff were comfortable.

   2008, Zane, Succulent: Chocolate Flava II, page 2

   A movie studio in the so-called golden era was a well-oiled machine with everything needed to make movies right in place on the studio lot.

   2007, Jeanine Basinger, The Star Machine, page 13

   Contrary to this dismal picture is the popular concept of the classroom that runs like a well-oiled machine, smoothly, flawlessly, functioning at full capacity, producing maximum output.

   2004, Carolyn Orange, 44 Smart Strategies for Avoiding Classroom Mistakes, page 16

2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see well-oiled, machine.