cozy up

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cozy up

She tries to cozy up to the manager by bringing him coffee.

Definition
  1. Verb (intransitive):
    • To attempt to gain favor or approval from someone, especially through flattery, friendly attention, or ingratiating behavior, often with an insincere or calculated motive.
Usage
  • The verb "cozy up" is used to describe the act of deliberately becoming more friendly or familiar with a person, typically someone in a position of power or influence, in order to gain an advantage. It implies a strategic, and sometimes insincere, effort to build closeness.
  • It is often followed by the preposition "to" to indicate the target of the ingratiation.
  • This phrasal verb is informal and often carries a slightly negative connotation, suggesting manipulation or opportunism.
Examples
Advanced Usage
  • "cozy up with": While less common, this variant can be used, especially in a more literal or political context, to imply forming a close alliance.
    • The small country decided to cozy up with the larger superpower for economic protection.
Variants and Related Words
  • Cozy (adj): Warm, comfortable, and snug. This is the adjective from which the phrasal verb derives its metaphorical sense of creating a comfortable, close relationship.
  • Curry favor: An idiom with a very similar meaning of seeking to gain favor through flattery or servile behavior.
Synonyms
  • Ingratiate oneself (with): To bring oneself into favor with someone by deliberate effort.
  • Suck up to (informal): To behave in a servile or flattering way towards someone to gain favor.
  • Butter up (informal): To flatter or be very nice to someone, especially to persuade them to do something.
Related Phrasal Verbs
  • Play up to: To flatter or try to please someone, especially to gain an advantage. This is a close synonym.
    • He's always playing up to the boss in meetings.
Related Idioms
  • Get on someone's good side: To do things that cause someone to like or approve of you.
    • She brought the boss coffee every morning to get on his good side.
cozy up

She tries to cozy up to the manager by bringing him coffee.

Verb
  1. ingratiate oneself to; often with insincere behavior
    • She is playing up to the chairman

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