Meaning

2 senses

  1. (idiomatic, transitive)To pay false flattery to another, particularly a superior at work, in order to get special attention.

    Yes, I watched Joe kissing up the boss and was very annoyed when he got my promotion!

  2. (idiomatic, intransitive)To pay false flattery.

    He kisses up more than he works.

Examples

7 sentences

  1. Why don't we kiss and make up?

    deVertragen wir uns einfach mit einem Kuß! — Waldelfe

    CK · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · A1Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  2. Let's kiss and make up.

    CK · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · A1Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  3. Kiss and make up.

    CM · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · A1Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  4. She always kisses up to teachers.

    Tatoeba contributors · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · A1Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  5. He chose to kiss up to someone, but stepped on a landmine instead.

    Aphima · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · C2Open on TatoebaReport a problem

Forms

kisses up, kissing up, kissed up, kissed up
Base formkiss up · to kiss up
3rd person singularkisses up
Present participlekissing up
Past simplekissed up
Past participlekissed up

irregular

Present simpleLesson

I, you, we, theykiss up
he, she, itkisses up

Past simpleLesson

all personskissed up

Present perfectLesson

I, you, we, theyhave kissed up
he, she, ithas kissed up

Future simple (will)Lesson

all personswill kiss up

Phrasal verbs

3 phrasal verbs

Synonyms

18 synonyms
butter upfawntoadyapple-polishbow and scrapebrownnoseduchessfawn overflannelhoney aroundhoney upkiss someone's ringkowtowoverflatter

Lessons for this word

3 lessons

See also

neighbours in the dictionary
kipperkirkkissB1kissablekisserkitA2
kiss up — meaning, examples, forms, synonyms | Krumeto