Dictionary

butter up en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Compare typologically Russian ума́сливать (umáslivatʹ) (< ма́сло (máslo)).

Meanings

1. (figuratively, informal, transitive) To flatter, especially with the intent of personal gain.
   • Do you mind if I butter you up a little before I answer that question? 2004, Wes Anderson, Noah Baumbach, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, spoken by Steve Zissou (Bill Murray):
   • He takes every opportunity to butter up the boss.
   • Joe Hart finished the night without a single grass stain on his kit and it was just a surprise the team did not butter up their goal difference even more once Welbeck had clipped in Lambert's through-ball five minutes into the second half. 2013 September 6, Daniel Taylor, “Danny Welbeck leads England's rout of Moldova but hit by Ukraine ban”, in The Guardian:
   • I'm not a cobb of corn, so you can stop butterin' me up. I don't need you to tell me how good my coffee is. 1994, Quentin Tarantino, Roger Avary, Pulp Fiction, spoken by Jimmie (Quentin Tarantino):

Forms

Synonyms

ingle · suck up · dickride · stroke · fast-talk · honey up · lick someone's ass · blandander · coax · kiss someone's ass · lick someone's balls · kiss up · butter up · kowtow · suck up · soft-sawder · collogue · word · honey around · croodle · kiss up · canoodle · sweet-talk · soap · sweeten · apple-polish · bow and scrape · cajole · blandish · honey around · fawn over · engle · kiss someone's ring · carny · flannel · overflatter · bootlick · fawn · fellate · honey up · toady · twist · brownnose · overpraise · overrate · toady · wheedle · tweedle · soft-soap · duchess · hum · whilly · fleech · inveigle · butter up

Translations (47)

fr caresser dans le sens du poil (to flatter) · it lusingare (to flatter) · es hacer la pelota (to flatter) · cmn 討好 /讨好 (to flatter) · ky жагуу (to flatter) · es hacer el buz (to flatter) · ko 아첨하다 (to flatter) · nl vleien (to flatter) · ky кошамат кылуу (to flatter) · ca fer lo bus (to flatter) · hi मक्खन लगाना (to flatter) · ky сооротуу (to flatter) · no smiske (to flatter) · ia adular (to flatter) · sv smickra (to flatter) · ja 胡麻をする (to flatter) · te ఉబ్బివేయు (to flatter) · cmn 奉承 (to flatter) · te పొగడు (to flatter) · fi imarrella (to flatter) · ky май төшөө (to flatter) · bg лаская (to flatter) · ky жасакерденүү (to flatter) · cs mazat někomu med kolem huby (to flatter) · fr flatter (to flatter) · sv smöra (to flatter) · de Honig ums Maul schmieren (to flatter) · ja お世辞を言う (to flatter) · pl podbić bębenka (to flatter) · ca afalagar (to flatter) · ar تَمَلَّقَ (to flatter) · he הֶחְמִיא (to flatter) · ky бөйпөңдөө (to flatter) · es incensar (to flatter) · pl słodzić (to flatter) · de schmeicheln (to flatter) · te ఉబ్బించు (to flatter) · pl podbijać bębenka (to flatter) · ky кошаматтануу (to flatter) · pt bajular (to flatter) · es almibarar (to flatter) · ja 諂う (to flatter) · ru ума́сливать (to flatter) · es lisonjear (to flatter) · ru льстить (to flatter) · cmn 拍馬屁 /拍马屁 (to flatter) · ky көңүл көтөрүү (to flatter)