The idiom ‘to butter someone up’ means to flatter or praise someone excessively in order to receive a favour or get them to agree to something

It is often used to show that someone is being nice or friendly to someone else for a selfish reason. The origin of this phrase is not clear, but some sources suggest that it was inspired by the practice of spreading butter on bread to make it more tasty and appealing.

Here are some examples of how to use ‘to butter someone up’ in sentences:

• She buttered up her boss by complimenting his tie and his presentation skills before asking for a raise.

• He always butters up his teachers by doing extra homework and bringing them gifts.

• They buttered up the judge by praising his fairness and wisdom before presenting their case.

• I don’t need to butter you up, you’re already my favourite person.

• He tried to butter me up by saying that I was the best writer he had ever seen, but I knew he just wanted me to help him with his essay.