play up to

Idioms and Phrases

Curry favor with, flatter, as in There's no use playing up to the boss; it doesn't influence him . This expression originated about 1800 in the theater, where it meant “to support or assist another actor.” Within a couple of decades it was being used in other venues.

Related Words

• appeal to
• attract
• captivate
• charm
• dare
• fascinate
• induce
• intrigue
• invite
• motivate
• persuade
• seduce
• stimulate
• tantalize
• woo