To butter someone up

Meaning: To flatter someone to win their favour.

Language: English

Literally: To butter someone up

Category: Food & Drink

Origin: Possibly from an ancient Indian custom of throwing butter at statues of the gods to seek their goodwill.

More idioms — Food & Drink

• Das ist nicht das Gelbe vom Ei — It's not ideal; not quite good enough.
• Alles in Butter — Everything is fine and under control.
• Jemandem auf den Keks gehen — To get on someone's nerves.
• Estar frito — To be fed up or worn out.
• Tener la sartén por el mango — To be the one in control.
• Седьмая вода на киселе — A very distant relative.

More English idioms

• Russian roulette — Any high-risk activity undertaken needlessly, where disaster may strike without warning.
• pull back the curtain — To expose a hidden truth or reality behind an appearance.
• present company excepted — These remarks do not apply to anyone currently present in this conversation.
• on sufferance — Tolerated reluctantly and only because one has no better choice.
• set in stone — Unchangeable and permanent, fixed beyond modification.
• friend of Bill W. — A recovering alcoholic, especially one in Alcoholics Anonymous.

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