office buttlicker
- noun
- /ˈɔfɪs ˈbʌtˌlɪkər/
- Offensive
:
lameculos
- Nobody likes an office buttlicker who tries too hard to impress management.
Examples
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She's known as the office buttlicker, always giving compliments to the boss.
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He earned the reputation of being the office buttlicker after constantly siding with supervisors.
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Don't be such an office buttlicker!
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She is the biggest office buttlicker in our team.
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He earned the nickname of the office buttlicker for always agreeing with the management's decisions.
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Nobody appreciates an office buttlicker who tries excessively to curry favor with the higher-ups.
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Known as the office buttlicker, she often flatters her boss to gain promotions.
Synonyms
20
8.4
A person who says nice things to a powerful person to get something for themselves
3
4.2
A person who gives fake praise to get someone's favor
3
9.9
A person who flatters someone in charge to get favors
2
9.6
A person who flatters someone in power to get favors
1
9.9
A person who praises someone in power to get benefits
1
8.3
A person who praises someone in charge too much to gain favor
1
8.7
A person who flatters someone in power to get favours
A person who praises a boss to get a favor
A person who flatters people in charge to gain favor
Antonyms
How Obsequious
- Offensive
17
9.3
- Offensive
- Offensive
1
8.3
3
4.2
Surface Forms
Morphology
office + buttlicker
The compound combines a clear locative noun 'office' with a slang derogatory agent 'buttlicker' (literally someone who 'licks' a 'butt'), so the insult’s meaning—someone who flatters superiors to gain favor—is a direct metaphorical extension of the parts. However, the term is slang/nonstandard and relies on cultural/pragmatic knowledge of the insult pattern (compare 'ass-kisser'/'brown-noser'), so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will likely infer a humiliating/flattering sense but may miss full social nuance.
Etymology
Office buttlicker paints a strong picture: the phrase joins office with butt and licker, as if someone would literally lick a boss's butt to get close. So it means 'an employee who praises supervisors too much to gain favor'.