currying favor
Flattering for advantage
Currying favor is seeking approval or advancement through flattery and obsequious behavior.
The phrase has nothing to do with curry the spice; it comes from an older sense of curry meaning to groom a horse by brushing.
To curry favor is to groom someone's ego: He's always currying favor with the boss.
- flatteryExcessive insincere praise
- office politicsPower dynamics at work
- political maneuveringStrategic power-seeking tactics
- sycophancyObsequious behavior toward authority
- brown nosingObsequious flattery for advancement
bootlicking · ass kissing · kissing up · ambition · bribery · opportunism · diplomacy · coaxing · ingratiation · oleaginous · wheedling · unctuous · persuasion · social climbing · kowtowing · obsequious · pandering · apple-polishing
- flatteryflatter, praise, flattery, compliment, compliments
- office politicsoffice politics, backstabbing, power plays, nepotism, politicking
- schmoozingschmooze, schmoozing, hobnobbing, glad-handing, mingling
currying favorspeaking one's mind
Expressing honest opinions openly
candor · telling it like it is · being oneself · plain dealing · straight talk
currying favorburning bridges
Ruining relationships irreparably
defiance · antagonizing · standing one's ground · alienating · insubordination
favor, favorite, favored, curry, favorable, favoritism, favors, disfavor, favorites