or brown-nose tr.v. Informal., -nosed or -nosed, -nos·ing or -nos·ing, -nos·es or -nos·es.

To curry favor with in an obsequious manner; fawn on.

[From the image of an obsequious person whose nose becomes soiled in kissing the rump of someone from whom favor is sought.]

brownnose brown'nose' n.
brownnoser brown'nos'er n.

verb

To support slavishly every opinion or suggestion of a superior: bootlick, cringe, fawn, grovel, kowtow, slaver, toady, truckle. Informal apple-polish, cotton. Slang suck up. Idioms: curry favor, dance attendance, kiss someone's feet, lick someone's boots. See over/under.

Solicit favor obsequiously, toady. For example, Harry was always brown nosing, but it didn't help his grades. This term originated in the military in the late 1930s, where it meant "to curry favor"; it alludes to ass-kissing when the backside being kissed is less than clean. Despite its scatological origin, today this slangy term is not considered particularly vulgar.

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Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The verb has one meaning:

Meaning #1: flatter with the intention of getting something
  Synonym: butter up

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Français (French)
n. - léche-botte, léche-cul
v. tr. - lécher les bottes de qn
v. intr. - lécher les bottes de qn

Español (Spanish)
n. - adulón, lamesuelas
v. tr. - obtener favores de forma obsequiosa
v. intr. - comportarse obsequiosamente

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