curry favor with

curry favor with (one)

To ingratiate oneself to someone Flattery won't work; the only way of currying favor with him is through hard work. Politicians who backed the losing candidate in the election are now trying to curry favor with the winning candidate—without much success. A: "The boss knows that you were the one to drive away our most lucrative client?" B: "Yes, that's why I need to be in that meeting—to curry favor with him."

See also: curry, favor

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

curry favor with someone

to try to win favor from someone. The lawyer tried to curry favor with the judge. It's silly to curry favor with the boss. Just act yourself.

See also: curry, favor

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