rat-licker
- noun
- /ˈrætˌlɪkər/
- Offensive
- She realized too late that her new assistant was just another rat-licker hoping to impress the boss.
Examples
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Nobody trusted the rat-licker in meetings, knowing he just wanted a promotion.
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John is a notorious rat-licker who always flatters the boss.
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His colleagues dismissed him as a rat-licker because he always agreed with management, no matter what.
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Don't be such a rat-licker at the office!
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His colleagues dismissed him as a rat-licker because he always flattered management to gain favor.
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Nobody trusted the rat-licker in meetings, knowing he constantly sought personal gain through insincere praise.
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She quickly realized that her new assistant was just another rat-licker trying to gain the boss's approval.
Synonyms
A person who praises someone important to get favors
A person who flatters and obeys someone in power to gain favor
A person who praises someone in power to get an advantage
A person who praises someone in power to get benefits
A person who praises people in charge to get things they want
A person who gives too many compliments to gain favor
A person who praises a boss to get a favor
Antonyms
How Obsequious
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Rat-licker gives a clear picture: someone who 'licks' a rat, and rats are often thought of as 'dirty' or 'low'. A helpful way to remember it is that it means a person who flatters others to get an advantage, like the familiar word bootlicker.