🤢 A flatterer 🤢 Overly flattering

lickspittle

9.9

Showing too much praise to a person with power

adjective
/ˈlɪkˌspɪtəl/

Offensive

: lamebotas

The manager's lickspittle attitude toward the CEO annoyed the rest of the team.

Examples

Critics accused the journalist of writing a lickspittle article that praised the government without question.
He refused to adopt a lickspittle approach, choosing instead to speak honestly to his superiors.
His lickspittle behavior made everyone uncomfortable.
She was tired of his lickspittle remarks.
The politician's lickspittle remarks during the press conference made it clear he was trying to win favor with the party leaders.
Many saw her lickspittle praise of the boss as insincere and only aimed at securing a promotion.
His lickspittle demeanor around the director left his colleagues feeling uneasy about his authenticity.

Synonyms

sycophantic

vslickspittle

Formal

4 9.2

Giving too much praise to an important person to gain favor

is about submissive, obsequious behavior directed at authority figures

kissy

vslickspittle

Informal

1 8.0

Acting overly loving but not sincere

is focused on overt servility toward authority rather than affectionate flattery

toadyish

vslickspittle

9.9

Being too friendly and praising someone important to get favor

shows servile attitude toward authority rather than focusing on advantage

bootlicking

vslickspittle

Offensive

8.6

Acting too friendly and praising people in power to get favors

emphasizes servile conduct toward authority more than just securing favor

Antonyms

independent

984 2.3

Not controlled by others

assertive

42 4.2

Showing confidence when saying what you want or think

How Servile

lickspittle

Offensive

9.9

toady

Offensive

8 9.0

sycophant

Offensive

17 9.3

flatterer

3 4.2

Surface Forms

lickspittle positive

Morphology

lickspittle = lick + spittle (semi-transparent) = lick + spittle

The compound is a literal combination of 'lick' + 'spittle', but the meaning is a figurative insult ('sycophant') rather than a straightforward physical description.

Etymology

Lickspittle comes from the strong image of lick and spittle ('spit' or 'saliva'), as if someone would lick another person's spit to please them. So, calling someone lickspittle means they are overly flattering and too eager to please someone in power.