sycophantishadj.
/ˈsɪkəfəntɪʃ//ˈsɪkəfantɪʃ//ˈsʌɪkəfantɪʃ/ Basely obsequious.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > esteem > approval or sanction > commendation or praise > flattery or flattering > servile flattery or currying favour > [adjective]
fikingc1230
papelarda1500
gnathonical1540
clawing1574
pickthank1575
slavering1575
claw-back1577
courting1580
fawning1585
adulatory1587
insinuating1592
insinuative1592
scraping1599
adulatorious1612
men-pleasing1615
pickthanking1621
sycophantical1632
gnathonic1637
insinuanta1639
sycophantizing1640
ingratiating1642
led1672
sycophanting1674
sycophantly1680
sycophanta1684
sycophantica1698
pickthankly1702
assiduous1725
foot-licking1786
tuft-hunting1789
sycophantish1821
favour-currying1831
bootlicking1849
toadying1863
creepy-crawly1890
slauming1904
toadyish1909
ass-licking1940
ass-kissing1942
brown-nosing1946
arse-licking1950
sucky1991
1821 R. Lee Diary 20 Oct. (1897) 26 Mr. L. said that although he admired Sir W. Scott's talents, still there was something about him which he did not like—a sneaking, flattering, sycophantish manner.
1840 T. De Quincey On Essenes: Pt. II in Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Apr. 465/2 Vespasian was shrewd enough from the first to suspect him for the sycophantish knave that he was.
1873 ‘A. Thomas’ Two Widows I. iii. 79 [He] vibrated between melodramatic reserve and sycophantish smiling.
Derivatives
ˈsycophantishly adv.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > esteem > approval or sanction > commendation or praise > flattery or flattering > servile flattery or currying favour > [adverb]
clawingly1566
fawningly1591
ambitiously1598
adulatoriously1601
sycophantically1643
sycophantly1672
smoothingly1843
sycophantishly1847
insinuatingly1860
ingratiatingly1886
1847 T. De Quincey Nautico-mil. Nun of Spain in Tait's Edinb. Mag. July 439/1 Neither proud..nor sycophantishly and falsely humble.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1919; most recently modified version published online March 2018).
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adj.1821