cotton up
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb (phrasal verb):
- To attempt to gain favor or approval from someone, typically through flattery, attentiveness, or agreeable behavior, often in an insincere or calculated manner.
Usage
- The phrasal verb "cotton up" is used to describe the act of deliberately trying to win someone's goodwill. It implies a strategic, sometimes obsequious, effort to become liked or to gain an advantage.
- It is typically followed by the preposition "to" (e.g., ).
- The tone is often slightly negative, suggesting the behavior is not entirely genuine.
Examples
- Verb:
- He tried to cotton up to the new manager by always agreeing with her ideas.
- Don't cotton up to me just because you want a favor.
- She's always cottoning up to the teachers, hoping for better grades.
Advanced Usage
- The phrase can be used in continuous tenses to emphasize an ongoing, habitual effort.
- He's been cottoning up to the boss all week.
Variants and Related Words
- Cotton on (to) (phrasal verb): To begin to understand or realize something. This is a different phrasal verb with a distinct meaning.
- It took me a while to cotton on to the new software.
Synonyms
- Butter up: To flatter someone excessively.
- Suck up to: To behave obsequiously towards someone in authority.
- Play up to: To act in a way designed to please or gain favor from someone.
- Curry favor with: To seek to gain favor through flattery or servile behavior.
Antonyms
- Alienate: To cause someone to become unfriendly or hostile.
- Stand up to: To confront or resist someone in a position of authority.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Make up to: To try to regain someone's favor after a disagreement.
- He's trying to make up to her after their argument.
Idioms and Related Phrases
- While "cotton up" itself is a phrasal verb, it relates to the broader concept of ingratiation, which is the process of gaining approval by pleasing others.
Verb
- ingratiate oneself to; often with insincere behavior
- She is playing up to the chairman