apple-polishing
/ˈæp.əlˌpɒl.ɪʃ.ɪŋ/
noun
Origin
English
apple + polish — The act of giving a polished apple to a teacher to win favor.
Overview
Meaning Now
- The act of currying favor or ingratiating oneself with someone in a position of authority, often through insincere flattery or fawning behavior.
Literal older meaning
The act of rubbing an apple to make it shiny.
Language path
English
Earliest form
apple-polishing
Earliest period
early 20th century
Journey
The term is rooted in the early 20th-century American schoolroom trope where students would bring apples to teachers as a gesture of respect or affection. Over time, the image of 'polishing' the apple to make it appear more appealing became synonymous with the act of sycophancy or 'sucking up'.
Evolution
- late 19th century
polishing an apple
“Literally cleaning fruit.”
Used as a common schoolchild activity.
- 1920s
apple-polishing
“Ingratiating behavior.”
Reflects the stereotype of a student bringing a shiny apple to a teacher.
Connections
Word parts
apple
root
pome fruit
polish
root
to make smooth or shiny
-ing
suffix
forms a gerund or noun
Related words
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.