apple-polish
[ap-uh l-pol-ish]Informal.
verb (used without object)
to curry favor with someone, especially in an obsequious or flattering manner.
verb (used with object)
to curry favor with (someone).
Origin of apple-polish
First recorded in 1930–35
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019