Butter up

Meaning

The idiom "butter up" means to flatter someone or to treat them in a way that is intended to make them feel pleased or happy. It can also mean to praise someone excessively or to be overly friendly or affectionate towards someone.

Usage

• "I'm going to butter up my boss by bringing her coffee every morning." (flattering someone)
• "Let's butter up our coworkers and make them feel valued." (treating someone well)
• "He always butters up his clients with complimentary meals." (praising someone excessively)
• "I hate it when people butter me up just to get something from me." (overly friendly or affectionate behavior)
• "She's always buttering up her husband, trying to win his favor." (trying to please someone) The usage of this idiom can vary depending on the context. It can be used in a positive or negative way. For example, in sentence 1, the speaker is doing something nice for their boss, while in sentence 2, they are treating their coworkers with kindness and respect. In sentences 3 and 4, the speaker may be seen as insincere or manipulative.

Roots and History

The idiom "butter up" originated from the practice of applying butter to someone's face or lips in a way that was intended to flatter them or make them feel happy. This practice is no longer common today, but the phrase has stuck around as a figurative expression for flattery or treating someone well.

Synonyms in English

• "Suck up" - to flatter someone or be overly friendly or affectionate towards them.
• "Kiss up" - to praise someone excessively or behave in an insincere way.
• "Butter one's bread" - to earn money or gain something by flattering someone or treating them well.

Synonyms in other languages

• "Cuirassé" (French) - to kiss up to someone or be overly friendly towards them.
• "Zerzura" (Arabic) - to suck up to someone or behave insincerely towards them.
• "Mahdi" (Arabic) - to praise someone excessively or treat them well in order to gain something from them.

Similar Idioms

• bad blood

• Black Friday

• bosom friend