polish the apple
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Try to win favor through flattery, as in It may help your standing with the boss if you polish the apple. This expression gave rise to the phrase apple polishing. The idiom alludes to the practice of schoolchildren bringing their teacher the gift of a bright, shiny apple. [c. 1920]
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Words nearby polish the apple
polished, polished rice, Polish Lowland sheepdog, Polish notation, polish off, polish the apple, polish up, Polish wheat, polit., Politburo, polite
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
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