Rate this phrase:0.0 / 0 votes

butter someone up

To praise someone; to flatter someone to attain his/her favor, especially before asking them for something

Etymology:

  • When we butter up the slice of bread, we actually make it more delicious. Similarly, when we need a favor and support of someone, we often praise or flatter him/her.
88 Views

If you can butter her up, she may accept your friendship offer, else it seems impossible.

Submitted on February 25, 2019

Modified by TriplePurple on February 27, 2024

Translation

Find a translation for the butter someone up phrase in other languages:

给某人涂黄油

Select another language:

  • - Select -
  • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
  • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
  • Español (Spanish)
  • Esperanto (Esperanto)
  • 日本語 (Japanese)
  • Português (Portuguese)
  • Deutsch (German)
  • العربية (Arabic)
  • Français (French)
  • Русский (Russian)
  • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
  • 한국어 (Korean)
  • עברית (Hebrew)
  • Gaeilge (Irish)
  • Українська (Ukrainian)
  • اردو (Urdu)
  • Magyar (Hungarian)
  • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
  • Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Italiano (Italian)
  • தமிழ் (Tamil)
  • Türkçe (Turkish)
  • తెలుగు (Telugu)
  • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
  • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
  • Čeština (Czech)
  • Polski (Polish)
  • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Românește (Romanian)
  • Nederlands (Dutch)
  • Ελληνικά (Greek)
  • Latinum (Latin)
  • Svenska (Swedish)
  • Dansk (Danish)
  • Suomi (Finnish)
  • فارسی (Persian)
  • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
  • հայերեն (Armenian)
  • Norsk (Norwegian)
  • English (English)

Nearby phrases

Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to butter someone up

How to pronounce this phrase?

Discuss this butter someone up phrase with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this butter someone up definition to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "butter someone up." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 26 Apr. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/butter-someone-up_44526>.

    We need you!

    Help us build the largest human-edited phrases collection on the web!

    Quiz

    Are you a phrases master?

    »
    Quit ________around, we have loads to do.
    A snaking
    B snoring
    C messing
    D horsing

    Browse Phrases.com