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bootlicking

bootlicking

1 8.6
A habit of praising people in power to get favors
  • noun
  • /ˈbuːtˌlɪkɪŋ/
  • Offensive
translation icon : peloteo
  • His constant bootlicking of the manager made his coworkers distrust him.

Examples

  • Our "regulatory reform" package—written by the planning commission (i.e., development interests), developers, and their bootlicking (and financially dependent) minions—is really largely meant to make it easier for them to build. Period.

    Blog text (4)
  • All the billions in bailouts and bonuses are the tribute due to them from the taxpayers, whom they regard as their bootlicking serfs.

    Blog text (32)
  • His comments about not concerning himself with party lines during times like this are pure BS since the over-the-top fawning and bootlicking are nothing but political.

    Blog text (9)
  • We are so inculcated with the worship of authority that we endow the holder of temporary office with kowtowing and bootlicking even after they leave office and are but common citizens.

    Blog text (2)
  • The politician's bootlicking attitude towards wealthy donors raised eyebrows among the public.

  • Employees often felt frustrated by the bootlicking culture that rewarded flattery over hard work.

Synonyms

being a dicklick
vsbootlicking
  • Offensive
9.9

To act too polite and flattering to someone in power to gain approval

refers to a wider practice or culture of such behaviour rather than single acts

Antonyms

608 3.0

Freedom from control by others, for example when a country is free or a person supports themselves

60 4.2

When people refuse to obey authority or rules

The quality of being confident and direct when saying what you think or want

How Obsequious

sycophancy
  • Formal
1 9.5
bootlicking
  • Offensive
1 8.6
fawning
7.4
flattery
37 4.7

Surface Forms

bootlicking singular
bootlickings plural

Morphology

bootlicking = bootlick (transparent) = boot + lick + ing

The noun is a gerund/nominalization of 'bootlick' (boot + lick) with the productive -ing suffix; the relation is transparent to learners.

Etymology

The word bootlicking comes from the same image of boot plus lick, imagining a person 'licking a boot' to win attention. As a noun, bootlicking means the act of flattering or always trying to please powerful people 'to gain favor'.