cotton up to (one)
cotton up to (one)
To pursue preferential treatment from one, often through flattery. Since I'm deciding who gets the promotion, Crystal has been cottoning up to me by buying me coffee all week.
See also: cotton, up
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
cotton up to someone
Rur. to try to make friends with someone; to flatter or fawn on someone in hopes of favorable treatment. James set out to cotton up to the parents of his friends. Just watch her cotton up to the teacher!
See also: cotton, up
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
cotton up
v.
To attempt to be friendly to someone or something: The teachers all cottoned up to the new principal.
See also: cotton, up
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
- cotton up
- cotton up to
- shine up to
- shine up to (one)
- flattery will get you everywhere/nowhere
- flattery will get you nowhere
- by any means
- the chosen few
- brown nose
- brownnose