polish the apple
polish the apple
To attempt to curry favor through insincere or excessive flattery or praise. An allusion to the clichéd image of a student presenting their teacher with a gift of a shiny red apple to instill a good impression. Brian is always polishing the apple with the boss, and for what—some vague, vain hope of a promotion or raise?
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
polish the apple
Try to win favor through flattery, as in It may help your standing with the boss if you polish the apple. This expression gave rise to the phrase apple polishing. The idiom alludes to the practice of schoolchildren bringing their teacher the gift of a bright, shiny apple. [c. 1920]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.