cotton up to

cotton up to (one)

To pursue preferential treatment from one, often through flattery. Since I'm deciding who gets the promotion, Crystal has been cottoning up to me by buying me coffee all week. I'm not doing well at all in math this year, so it seems like cottoning up to the teacher is my only hope for a good grade! Don't cotton up to me with chocolates and sweet talk—just tell me what you want!

See also: cotton, to, up

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

cotton up to someone

Rur. to try to make friends with someone; to flatter or fawn on someone in hopes of favorable treatment. James set out to cotton up to the parents of his friends. Just watch her cotton up to the teacher!

See also: cotton, to, up

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.