Question of the Day #267

"How Putin butters up Trump"
From the headline of this article at Axios.

上記の文で、butter upの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "butter up" mean?

答えは、コメントに書いてください。
Write your answer in the Comments.

明日、ここに答えを書きます。
I will add the answer and other remarks here tomorrow.

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解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、


〔気に入られようとして〕（人）のご機嫌を取る、（人）におべっかを使う、（人）をおだてる、（人）にごまをする

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

to charm or beguile with lavish flattery or praise

Etymology/語源

Merriam-Websterによると、

上記の意味で記録にある最も古い使用例は、1819年。

According to Merriam-Webster:

First Known Use of butter up
1819

Examples

• The bank has to butter up investors because it is in a fiercely competitive market.
• You'll have to butter them up a bit before they'll agree.
• He’s always trying to butter up the boss.
• Mary’s nice compliments about her not so nice boss made it clear that she was just trying to butter him up. Source: theidioms.com
• I am not so good at buttering up people just because I can be quite direct and blunt. Source: theidioms.com