brown-nose

[ broun-nohz ]

verb (used without object)

, brown-nosed, brown-nos·ing.

1. to curry favor; behave obsequiously.

verb (used with object)

, brown-nosed, brown-nos·ing.

1. to seek favors from (a person) in an obsequious manner; fawn over.

noun

1. Also brown-noser. a toady; sycophant.

brown nose

¹

noun

1. vet science a form of light sensitization in cattle

brown-nose

²

verb

1. to be abjectly subservient (to); curry favour (with)

noun

1. an abjectly subservient person; sycophant

Word History and Origins

Origin of brown-nose¹

First recorded in 1935–40; brown + nose

Word History and Origins

Origin of brown-nose¹

C20: from the notion that a subservient person kisses the backside of the person with whom he or she is currying favour

Idioms and Phrases

Solicit favor obsequiously, toady. For example, Harry was always brown nosing, but it didn't help his grades . This term originated in the military in the late 1930s, where it meant “to curry favor”; it alludes to ass-kissing when the backside being kissed is less than clean. Despite its scatological origin, today this slangy term is not considered particularly vulgar.

Example Sentences

Instead, he will end up surrounding himself with a cadre of workers who either see the world exactly as he does and put the “bro” in “brown-nosing,” or simply don’t have any other options.

From Washington Post

But let's not kid ourselves that they're likely to forget the four long years of submissive brown-nosing that came before it.

From Salon

For those who think Watson suffered, stop with the celebrity brown-nosing, please.

From Washington Post

I don’t want to brown-nose, I just feel like I’ve proven myself as a nominee and now they see me for who I am.

From New York Times

In Thursday’s broadcast, Bolsonaro berated those who accuse him of brown-nosing.

From The Guardian