curry favor

To ingratiate oneself to someone Flattery won't work; the only way of currying favor with him is through hard work.

See also: curry, favor

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

curry favor

Seek gain or advancement by fawning or flattery, as in Edith was famous for currying favor with her teachers. This expression originally came from the Old French estriller fauvel, "curry the fallow horse," a beast that in a 14th-century allegory stood for duplicity and cunning. It came into English about 1400 as curry favel-that is, curry (groom with a currycomb) the animal-and in the 1500s became the present term.

See also: curry, favor

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

curry favour

ingratiate yourself with someone through obsequious behaviour.

Curry here means ‘groom a horse or other animal’ with a coarse brush or comb. The phrase is an early 16th-century alteration of the Middle English curry favel , Favel (or Fauvel ) being the name of a chestnut horse in an early 14th-century French romance who epitomized cunning and duplicity. From this ‘to groom Favel’ came to mean to use on him the cunning which he personified. It is unclear whether the bad reputation of chestnut horses existed before the French romance, but the idea is also found in 15th-century German in the phrase den fahlen hengst reiten (ride the chestnut horse) meaning ‘behave deceitfully’.

curry ˈfavour (with somebody)

(British English) (American English curry ˈfavor (with somebody)) (disapproving) try to get somebody to like or support you by praising or helping them a lot: They have lowered taxes in an attempt to curry favour with the voters. Curry in this phrase means to groom (= clean and comb) a horse. The phrase was originally ‘curry favel’ (= a light brown horse that was thought to be clever and dishonest) and came to mean to try to please somebody who might be useful to you, especially by doing or saying things that you do not mean or believe.

curry favor

To seek or gain favor by fawning or flattery.

See also: curry, favor

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.

curry favor, to

To flatter insincerely in order to get ahead. The term, which has been known since the sixteenth century, comes from a fourteenth-century satirical romance about a horse named Fauvel. This horse was a symbol of cunning bestiality, and to curry (groom) it meant that one was enlisting its services of duplicity and other nasty traits. The English version of Fauvel at first was favel, which by the sixteenth century had been corrupted into “favor.”

curry favor

To ingratiate oneself through flattery or a willingness to please. “Curry” has nothing to do with the spice—it means to groom, as in the horse-keeping currycomb tool. One of the definitions of “stroke” is “suck up to,” and the image is similar—to get on a person's good side, whether or not flattery is warranted. “Favor” was originally “Fauvel,” the donkey who was the rogue hero of a 14th-century French romance. The image of grooming the beast to get on its good side or to win its favor is now the modern use of the word in the phrase.

See also: curry, favor

Endangered Phrases by Steven D. Price

See also:

curry favor with
curry favor with (one)
curry favor, to
curry favour
curry
in favor of
in favor of (someone or something)
scratch (one's) back
scratch back
scratch someone's back

References in periodicals archive

One of the most intriguing sections of the book, in fact, is Stengel's discussion of how chimpanzees curry favor through the ritual behavior of grooming.

YOU'RE TOO KIND: A Brief History of Flattery

The otherwise pro-gay software giant, which has been the target of a high-profile antitrust suit, hired former Christian Coalition executive director Ralph Reed as a lobbyist to help curry favor with the presumed Republican presidential nominee.

Far Right

In a blatant attempt to curry favor with the integral S/M swing vote, party planners hired a self-described Indian satanist performance artist who had a pentagram carved in his back, got urinated on, and then had a bottle of Jack Daniels planted in his behind.

Dopesters have more fun

Seen by many as an attempt to curry favor with the public and banking regulators, the lending commitment is the largest ever made by a U.S.

Big boost for small business: Wells Fargo $45 billion pledge should spur urban economic development

There is nothing in the speech that was meant to ingratiate the Vice President to the business community or to make them like him-which is the meaning of the idiomatic expression "to curry favor."

Nothing 'off-topic' in VP's talk

It's all linked to Georgia: We have written about the possibility that Russia is refusing to sell Iran weapons to curry favor with the new Obama Administration.

It's all linked to Georgia

Blessed are the publicly pious politicians for they shall curry favor with the voters.

Miss. lawmakers plan to post Sermon on the Mount in public buildings

Some cynics suspect that Bob Bennett leaked information unfavorable to client Bill Clinton in an effort to curry favor with journalists--most notably in Clinton's case, Bob Woodward.

Who's Who

Still others believed his heritage might curry favor from Japan in the form of aid and investment.

Quiet Culture

The former Tennessee governor and failed 1996 presidential candidate has worked hard to overcome his reputation as a moderate and to curry favor with religious conservatives.

Mixing religion and politics

Bush sent over a laudatory video to the RTV attendees, insisting that he and they "have common goals and a common faith." Leading Republicans in Congress came from Capitol Hill to curry favor and seek support in the next round of elections.

The Christian Coalition: undermining America. (Editorials)

Males have learned to moderate their behavior to curry favor among females, who can just as easily turn to other females for companionship and erotic gratification.

Monkey love

He saw a golden opportunity: In one fell swoop, he could curry favor with the senior citizen vote and hold Nixon's feet to the fire.

The cost of living it up

Microsoft is currently embroiled in a costly anti-trust lawsuit and apparently hoped to curry favor with Bush in the event that he is elected president.

Reed Apologizes For Lobbying Bush On Behalf Of Microsoft

Advised that he needed to curry favor with Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Arthur Vandenberg in order to win passage of the European Recovery Plan, Marshall balked.

George Marshall: statesman, 1945-1959

词组	curry favor
释义	curry favor curry favor To ingratiate oneself to someone Flattery won't work; the only way of currying favor with him is through hard work. See also: curry, favor Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. curry favor Seek gain or advancement by fawning or flattery, as in Edith was famous for currying favor with her teachers. This expression originally came from the Old French estriller fauvel, "curry the fallow horse," a beast that in a 14th-century allegory stood for duplicity and cunning. It came into English about 1400 as curry favel-that is, curry (groom with a currycomb) the animal-and in the 1500s became the present term. See also: curry, favor The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. curry favour ingratiate yourself with someone through obsequious behaviour. Curry here means ‘groom a horse or other animal’ with a coarse brush or comb. The phrase is an early 16th-century alteration of the Middle English curry favel , Favel (or Fauvel ) being the name of a chestnut horse in an early 14th-century French romance who epitomized cunning and duplicity. From this ‘to groom Favel’ came to mean to use on him the cunning which he personified. It is unclear whether the bad reputation of chestnut horses existed before the French romance, but the idea is also found in 15th-century German in the phrase den fahlen hengst reiten (ride the chestnut horse) meaning ‘behave deceitfully’. See also: curry, favour Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary curry ˈfavour (with somebody) (British English) (American English curry ˈfavor (with somebody)) (disapproving) try to get somebody to like or support you by praising or helping them a lot: They have lowered taxes in an attempt to curry favour with the voters. Curry in this phrase means to groom (= clean and comb) a horse. The phrase was originally ‘curry favel’ (= a light brown horse that was thought to be clever and dishonest) and came to mean to try to please somebody who might be useful to you, especially by doing or saying things that you do not mean or believe. See also: curry, favour Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary curry favor To seek or gain favor by fawning or flattery. See also: curry, favor American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. curry favor, to To flatter insincerely in order to get ahead. The term, which has been known since the sixteenth century, comes from a fourteenth-century satirical romance about a horse named Fauvel. This horse was a symbol of cunning bestiality, and to curry (groom) it meant that one was enlisting its services of duplicity and other nasty traits. The English version of Fauvel at first was favel, which by the sixteenth century had been corrupted into “favor.” See also: curry The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer curry favor To ingratiate oneself through flattery or a willingness to please. “Curry” has nothing to do with the spice—it means to groom, as in the horse-keeping currycomb tool. One of the definitions of “stroke” is “suck up to,” and the image is similar—to get on a person's good side, whether or not flattery is warranted. “Favor” was originally “Fauvel,” the donkey who was the rogue hero of a 14th-century French romance. The image of grooming the beast to get on its good side or to win its favor is now the modern use of the word in the phrase. See also: curry, favor Endangered Phrases by Steven D. Price See also: curry favor with curry favor with (one) curry favor, to curry favour curry in favor of in favor of (someone or something) scratch (one's) back scratch back scratch someone's back References in periodicals archive One of the most intriguing sections of the book, in fact, is Stengel's discussion of how chimpanzees curry favor through the ritual behavior of grooming. YOU'RE TOO KIND: A Brief History of Flattery The otherwise pro-gay software giant, which has been the target of a high-profile antitrust suit, hired former Christian Coalition executive director Ralph Reed as a lobbyist to help curry favor with the presumed Republican presidential nominee. Far Right In a blatant attempt to curry favor with the integral S/M swing vote, party planners hired a self-described Indian satanist performance artist who had a pentagram carved in his back, got urinated on, and then had a bottle of Jack Daniels planted in his behind. Dopesters have more fun Seen by many as an attempt to curry favor with the public and banking regulators, the lending commitment is the largest ever made by a U.S. Big boost for small business: Wells Fargo $45 billion pledge should spur urban economic development There is nothing in the speech that was meant to ingratiate the Vice President to the business community or to make them like him-which is the meaning of the idiomatic expression "to curry favor." Nothing 'off-topic' in VP's talk It's all linked to Georgia: We have written about the possibility that Russia is refusing to sell Iran weapons to curry favor with the new Obama Administration. It's all linked to Georgia Blessed are the publicly pious politicians for they shall curry favor with the voters. Miss. lawmakers plan to post Sermon on the Mount in public buildings Some cynics suspect that Bob Bennett leaked information unfavorable to client Bill Clinton in an effort to curry favor with journalists--most notably in Clinton's case, Bob Woodward. Who's Who Still others believed his heritage might curry favor from Japan in the form of aid and investment. Quiet Culture The former Tennessee governor and failed 1996 presidential candidate has worked hard to overcome his reputation as a moderate and to curry favor with religious conservatives. Mixing religion and politics Bush sent over a laudatory video to the RTV attendees, insisting that he and they "have common goals and a common faith." Leading Republicans in Congress came from Capitol Hill to curry favor and seek support in the next round of elections. The Christian Coalition: undermining America. (Editorials) Males have learned to moderate their behavior to curry favor among females, who can just as easily turn to other females for companionship and erotic gratification. Monkey love He saw a golden opportunity: In one fell swoop, he could curry favor with the senior citizen vote and hold Nixon's feet to the fire. The cost of living it up Microsoft is currently embroiled in a costly anti-trust lawsuit and apparently hoped to curry favor with Bush in the event that he is elected president. Reed Apologizes For Lobbying Bush On Behalf Of Microsoft Advised that he needed to curry favor with Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Arthur Vandenberg in order to win passage of the European Recovery Plan, Marshall balked. George Marshall: statesman, 1945-1959
随便看	inflict inflict on inflict (someone or something) (up)on (one) in flight influence influencer influencers in flux in focus in (the) light of (something) in the light of something in the limelight in the line of duty in the line of fire in the long haul in the long/medium/short term in the long run in the loop in the lurch in the main in the mainstream in the mainstream (of something) in the making in the manner of somebody/something in the manner of (someone or something)