brown-nose

American  

[broun-nohz] / ˈbraʊnˌnoʊz /

verb (used without object)

brown-nosed, brown-nosing

1. to curry favor; behave obsequiously.

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verb (used with object)

brown-nosed, brown-nosing

1. to seek favors from (a person) in an obsequious manner; fawn over.

noun

1. Also brown-noser. a toady; sycophant.

brown-nose ¹ British  

verb

1. to be abjectly subservient (to); curry favour (with)

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noun

1. an abjectly subservient person; sycophant

brown nose ² British  

noun

1. vet science a form of light sensitization in cattle

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brown nose Idioms  

1. Solicit favor obsequiously, toady. For example, Harry was always brown nosing, but it didn't help his grades. This term originated in the military in the late 1930s, where it meant “to curry favor”; it alludes to ass-kissing when the backside being kissed is less than clean. Despite its scatological origin, today this slangy term is not considered particularly vulgar.

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Etymology

Origin of brown-nose

First recorded in 1935–40; brown + nose

Example Sentences

I don’t want to brown-nose, I just feel like I’ve proven myself as a nominee and now they see me for who I am.

From New York Times • Feb. 16, 2022

We’ve still got lovable Arkady - the underdog and rare example of a police investigator who refuses to brown-nose his superiors.

From Washington Times • Nov. 4, 2019

“Those that, I guess you might say, brown-nose are the ones that are going to end up receiving the merit pay.”

From Washington Times • Jan. 14, 2016

I decided to make a deliberate effort to brown-nose him for the next week.

From Time • Sep. 8, 2011

I decided to make a deliberate effort to brown-nose him for the next week.

From Time • Sep. 8, 2011