apple-polished
Sought teacher's approval
Apple-polished describes someone or something that has been subjected to obsequious flattery or currying favor, especially toward authority figures.
The image comes from the stereotypical gift of a shiny apple to a teacher.
Something apple-polished has been given an artificial gleam through excessive praise or ingratiating behavior: His apple-polished reputation didn't survive scrutiny.
Servilely flattering
- ingratiatingSeeking favor through flattery
- fawningExcessive insincere flattery
- obsequiousServilely attentive to superiors
- bootlickingServile flattery for advantage
toadying · brown-nosing · smarmy · unctuous · groveling · servile · kowtowing · simpering
Strongly desiring achievement
- networkingBuilding professional relationships
- corporateOf or relating to companies
- ladder-climbingAscending by rungs
- advancementForward movement or promotion
superior · supervisor · evaluation · employee · subordinate · professional · recognition · approval-seeking
One formally enrolled somewhere
- classroomEducational instruction space
- gradesAcademic performance ratings
- teacherOne who instructs others
- professorSenior university teacher
homework · overachiever · eager · volunteering · assignment · scholarship · recommendation · honors
sycophantic
Servilely flattering
- ingratiatingSeeking favor through flattery
- fawningExcessive insincere flattery
- obsequiousServilely attentive to superiors
bootlicking · toadying · brown-nosing · smarmy · unctuous · groveling · servile · kowtowing · simpering · oleaginous
ambitious
Strongly desiring achievement
- networkingBuilding professional relationships
- corporateOf or relating to companies
- ladder-climbingAscending by rungs
advancement · superior · supervisor · evaluation · employee · subordinate · professional · recognition · approval-seeking · management
student
One formally enrolled somewhere
- classroomEducational instruction space
- gradesAcademic performance ratings
- teacherOne who instructs others
professor · homework · overachiever · eager · volunteering · assignment · scholarship · recommendation · honors · valedictorian
apple-polishedblunt
Dull or tactlessly direct
direct · unvarnished · plainspoken · brusque · curt
apple-polishedrebellious
Resisting authority or control
defiant · insubordinate · independent · self-reliant · nonconformist
apple, apples, polish, polished, polishing, polishes, polisher, polishers, unpolished