What does ‘butter someone up’ mean?
To “butter someone up” means to flatter someone to gain favour. Recorded in English from the 18th century; Brewer's notes the metaphor of smoothing over with fat.
Origin
- Recorded in English from the 18th century; Brewer's notes the metaphor of smoothing over with fat.
How to use it
- Usually critical of insincere flattery.
- Example: He's just buttering up the boss for a promotion.
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-18
- Definitions and origins are drawn from public-domain reference works, primarily Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), with modern usage notes clearly marked.