cozy up
Definition
- 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.
Verb
-
ingratiate oneself to; often with insincere behavior
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She is playing up to the chairman
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