butter up
verb1
Figuratively, Informal To flatter, especially with the intent of personal gain.
- He takes every opportunity to butter up the boss.
- 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):
2 more examples
- 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):
- 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: