IDIOMS & EXPRESSIONS - LESSON 26

Lesson 20

TALKING ABOUT A BROWN NOSER Part 1

Nearly every office has one: the brown noser. He or she will do just about anything to win favour with the boss. Here, Tony, Karen, and Nancy complain about their local brown noser, Mitch. Tony: I was just in a meeting with Mitch and Bill. Mitch said to Bill, "Bill, we're so lucky to have you as our boss. You're such a great leader!" Karen: He's up to his old tricks. He was trying to earn brownie points with Bill. Nancy: Mitch has the reputation of being a yes man and a brown noser. He's an expert at kissing up. Tony: Then he said to Bill, "Other people here don't appreciate you as I do!" Talk about trying to butter up the boss!

Nancy: Yeah, and this time at our expense! He's just out for himself. Karen: Well, it's a dog-eat-dog world. Obviously, he thinks this is the way to get ahead.

Tony: I guess it's one way to climb the corporate ladder. But I could never look at myself in the mirror after behaving that way.

Karen: I'm not good at kissing up either. No wonder I've been in the same lousy position for 10 years!

IDIOMS & EXPRESSIONS - LESSON 20 Part 1

up to one's old tricks see Lesson 18

brownie points credit for doing a good deed or for giving someone a compliment (usually a boss or teacher) EXAMPLE: Sara scored brownie points with her boss by volunteering to organize the company's holiday party. ORIGIN: The junior branch of the Girl Scouts is called the Brownies. Brownies earn credit to then earn a badge by doing good deeds and tasks. When applied to adults, the meaning is sarcastic.

yes man an employee who always agrees with the boss or does whatever the boss says EXAMPLE: Don't expect Larry to argue with the boss. He's a yes man.

brown noser somebody who's always trying to win favour with those in authority, like bosses or teachers EXAMPLE: Jim told Amanda she was the best boss he ever had? What a brown noser!

(to) kiss up to (someone) to try to win favour with someone by flattering them EXAMPLE: Don is always kissing up to the boss. He'll probably get promoted soon.

talk about that's an example of... EXAMPLE: Sharon told everybody that Carla was having an affair with her boss. Talk about spreading nasty rumours!

(to) butter up to say nice things to somebody, hoping that they'll do something nice for you in the future; to compliment too much EXAMPLE: Sam is trying to get promoted by buttering up his boss. His coworkers don't like his behaviour.

at one's expense at a cost to EXAMPLE: If you blame the project failure on us, you'll look better, but at our expense.

NOTE: There is also the related expression "at one's own expense," meaning to pay the cost oneself. Example: Fred wanted the job so badly, he was willing to fly to Atlanta for the interview at his own expense.

out for oneself selfish; just concerned with oneself and one's own success; not caring about what happens to other people EXAMPLE: I'm not surprised that Jessica took all the credit for the success of the ad campaign. She's just out for herself.

dog-eat-dog world a cruel and aggressive world in which people just look out for themselves EXAMPLE: Your company fired you shortly after you had a heart attack? Well, it's certainly a dog-eat-dog world! ORIGIN: This expression dates back to the 1500s. Wild dogs were observed fighting aggressively over a piece of food. The connection was made that people, like dogs, often compete aggressively to get what they want.

(to) get ahead to get promoted; to advance in one's career EXAMPLE: If you want to get ahead in investment banking, be prepared to work long hours!

(to) climb the corporate ladder advance in one's career; the process of getting promoted and making it to senior management