apple-polish

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ap′ple-pol`ish

v.i.

1. to curry favor; toady.

v.t.

2. to curry favor with.

[1930–35]

ap′ple pol`isher, ap′ple-pol`ish•er, n.

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apple-polish

verb

Informal. To support slavishly every opinion or suggestion of a superior:

bootlick, cringe, fawn, grovel, kowtow, slaver, toady, truckle.

Informal: brownnose, cotton.

Slang: suck up.

Idioms: curry favor, dance attendance, kiss someone's feet, lick someone's boots.

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References in periodicals archive ?

He also includes a glossary of more than 150 euphemisms for flattery (apple-polish, blow smoke, curry favor, kiss up, kowtow, laud, puffery, schmeer, toady, snow job, stroke, suck-up, sycophant and yes-man).

Essay: Kissing Up and Looking Out & You're Too Kind: A Brief History of Flattery

Kids who want to "apple-polish" their teachers might consider a gift of chocolate.