butter up

but·ter up

B b

Transcription

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
- [buht-er uhp]
- /ˈbʌt ər ʌp/
- /ˈbʌtə(r) ʌp/

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- [buht-er uhp]
- /ˈbʌt ər ʌp/

Definitions of butter up words

phrasal verb butter up If someone butters you up, they try to please you because they want you to help or support them. 3
verb butter up to flatter 3
noun butter up the fatty portion of milk, separating as a soft whitish or yellowish solid when milk or cream is agitated or churned. 1
noun butter up this substance, processed for cooking and table use. 1
noun butter up any of various other soft spreads for bread: apple butter; peanut butter. 1
noun butter up any of various substances of butterlike consistency, as various metallic chlorides, and certain vegetable oils solid at ordinary temperatures. 1

See all 11 definitions of butter up

Information block about the term

Origin of butter up

First appearance:

before 1000

One of the 6% oldest English words

before 1000; Middle English; Old English butere < Latin būtȳrum < Greek boútȳron

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Butter up

noun

adjective

verb

adverb

pronoun

preposition

conjunction

determiner

exclamation

Full grammatical hierarchy of Butter up

butter up popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 98% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.

Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

butter up usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for butter up

verb butter up

adulate — to flatter or praise obsequiously
bootlick — to seek favour by servile or ingratiating behaviour towards (someone, esp someone in authority); toady
build up — If you build up something or if it builds up, it gradually becomes bigger, for example because more is added to it.
cajole — If you cajole someone into doing something, you get them to do it after persuading them for some time.
flatter — to make flat.

All 14 Synonyms of butter up