curry favor
Seek approval obsequiously
To curry favor is to seek approval or advantage through flattery or obsequious behavior.
The phrase comes from a French expression about grooming a horse—currying means brushing or combing—but the original reference is lost on most speakers.
He curried favor with the boss by always agreeing with her ideas.
The connotation is usually negative, suggesting insincerity.
- ingratiateSeek another's approval
- flatterPraise to please
- butter upFlatter insincerely for advantage
- lay it on thickExaggerate praise or emotion
- soft soapPersuasion through excessive flattery
stroke someone's ego · bootlick · kiss the ring · compliment · truckle · fawn · toady · obsequious · kowtow · suck up · sycophant · brown-nose · grovel · apple-polish · wheedle · kiss up · make friends · lickspittle
- flatteryflatter, praise, flattery, compliment, compliments
- sycophantssycophant, sycophants, toady, toadies, bootlicker
- conformityconformity, conforming, conform, conformist, conformism
curry favorantagonize
Incite hostility in
offend · alienate · provoke · burn bridges · pick a fight
favor, favored, curry, favorable, disfavor, favoring, favoured, curries, favouring