curry favor

curry favor
curry favor (v.) early 16c., altered by folk etymology from curry favel (c.1400) from O.Fr. correier fauvel "to be false, hypocritical," lit. "to curry the chestnut horse," which in medieval French allegories was a symbol of cunning and deceit. See CURRY (Cf. curry) (v.). Old French fauvel is from a Germanic source and ultimately related to FALLOW (Cf. fallow) (adj.); the sense here is entangled with that of similar-sounding O.Fr. favele "lying, deception," from L. fabella, dim. of fabula (see FABLE (Cf. fable)).

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • curry favor — (with (someone)) to try to make someone like you or support you by doing or saying things to please them. The candidate has promised lower taxes in an attempt to curry favor with the voters. Etymology: from the literal meaning of curry (= to… …   New idioms dictionary

  • curry favor — verb seek favor by fawning or flattery This employee is currying favor with his superordinates • Syn: ↑curry favour, ↑court favor, ↑court favour • Hypernyms: ↑fawn, ↑toady, ↑truckle …   Useful english dictionary

  • curry favor — {v.} To flatter or serve someone to get his help or friendship. * /Joe tried to curry favor with the new teacher by doing little services that she didn t really want./ * /Jim tried to curry favor with the new girl by telling her she was the… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • curry favor — {v.} To flatter or serve someone to get his help or friendship. * /Joe tried to curry favor with the new teacher by doing little services that she didn t really want./ * /Jim tried to curry favor with the new girl by telling her she was the… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • curry\ favor — v To flatter or serve someone to get his help or friendship. Joe tried to curry favor with the new teacher by doing little services that she didn t really want. Jim tried to curry favor with the new girl by telling her she was the prettiest girl… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • curry favor — (Roget s 3 Superthesaurus) (VOCABULARY WORD) v. to try to win someone over through flattery. I was sickened by his attempts to curry favor with the governor. SYN.: flatter, fawn over, stroke, *kiss up to, *brownnose, *bootlick, praise, *fall all… …   English dictionary for students

  • curry favor — flatter someone to get his help or friendship He has been working hard to curry favor with the other members of the committee …   Idioms and examples

  • curry favor with someone — curry favor (with (someone)) to try to make someone like you or support you by doing or saying things to please them. The candidate has promised lower taxes in an attempt to curry favor with the voters. Etymology: from the literal meaning of… …   New idioms dictionary

  • curry favor with — curry favor (with (someone)) to try to make someone like you or support you by doing or saying things to please them. The candidate has promised lower taxes in an attempt to curry favor with the voters. Etymology: from the literal meaning of… …   New idioms dictionary

  • curry favor — phrasal Etymology: Middle English currayen favel to curry a chestnut horse to seek to gain favor by flattery or attention …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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