butters up
Lays it thick
To butter someone up is to flatter them, usually to gain favor or get something you want.
The image is of spreading butter—making things smooth and pleasant: He's just buttering up the boss for a promotion.
The flattery is typically insincere and strategic.
- complimentWords expressing approval
- sweet talkFlattering persuasion
- brown-noseFawn obsequiously for advantage
- ingratiateSeek another's approval
- coaxPersuade by gentle urging
suck up to · adulate · wheedle · sycophant · soft soap · beguile · cajole · charm offensive · play up to · appeal · stroke someone's ego · mollify · extol · schmooze · laud · lay it on thick · entice · flatter
butters uptears down
Destroys systematically
puts down · insults · berates · belittles · disparages
butters upalienates
Causes emotional withdrawal
antagonizes · offends · snubs · pushes away · rubs the wrong way
butter, buttered, buttering, buttery, butterfat, buttermilk, buttercream, upper