butter sb up
informal— phrasal verb with butter uk/ˈbʌt.ər/us/ˈbʌt̬.ɚ/verb [ T ]
to be very kind or friendly to someone or try to please someone, so that that person will do what you want them to do:
You'll have to butter them up a bit before they'll agree.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Urging & persuading
- argumentation
- blag
- brainwash
- bring
- browbeat
- butter
- get sth out of sb
- persuade
- persuasion
- preach
- press-gang
- prevail on/upon sb
- proselytize
- rush sb into (doing) sth
- sucker sb into sth
- swing
- talk sb down
- talk sb out of sth
- twist
- work on sb
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