apple-polish
verb
ap·ple-pol·ish ˈa-pəl-ˌpä-lish 
apple-polished; apple-polishing; apple-polishes
intransitive verb
: to attempt to ingratiate oneself : toady
transitive verb
: to curry favor with (as by flattery)
apple-polisher noun
Synonyms
- bootlick
- fawn
- fuss
- kowtow
- suck (up)
- toady
- truckle
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Word History
Etymology
from the traditional practice of schoolchildren bringing a shiny apple as a gift to their teacher
First Known Use
1926, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense
apple-polished
verb
as in truckled
to use flattery or the doing of favors in order to win approval especially from a superior a departmental supervisor who apple-polishes shamelessly whenever higher-ups are about Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- truckled
- fussed
- curried favor
- toadied
- drooled
- bootlicked
- kissed up to
- fawned
- kowtowed
- submitted
- deferred
- sucked (up)
- blandished
- slavered
- courted
- endeared
- ingratiated
- wooed
- gushed
- slobbered
- idolized
- cringed
- worshipped
- coaxed
- cajoled
- flattered
- overpraised
- cowered
- adulated
- worshiped
- soft-soaped
- demeaned
- debased
- groveled
- yielded
- grovelled
- abased
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- despised
- disdained
- challenged
- scorned
- scoffed
- jeered
- gibed
- braved
- jibed
- defied
- out of one's hands
- out of one's head
- out of one's league
- out of one's mind
- out of one's mind with worry
- out of one's own pocket
- out of one's tree
- out of one's wits
- out of order
- out of phase
- out of place
- out of play
- out of plumb
- out of pocket
- out of politeness
- out of practice
- out of print
- out of production
- out of proportion with
- out of reach
- out of season
- out of sequence
- out of service
- out of shape
- out of sight