Where does the phrase "kissing a*s (kissing butt)" come from, and how did it come to mean "sucking up"? Speaking of "sucking up", where does that phrase come from?
by 
Chris Hansen
ANSWERS: 3
-
It means you are "doing" something for someone besides paying them. lol I don't know how to answer this with out it becoming an adult topic.
-
The Dictionary of American Slang labels "brown-nose" as taboo and defines it as "to curry favor with a superior." The image that generated this expression is of an underling who kisses a superior, but not on the mouth, and gets his or her nose dirty as a consequence. This term originated in the military in the late 1930s, where it meant "to curry favor"; it alludes to ass-kissing. Sucking up - From the Dictionary of American Slang: "To curry favor with someone by being exceptionally agreeable, or by doing menial jobs for that person." This definition is followed by a cross-reference to another phrase, nearby in the alphabet, whose meaning makes clear that "suck up to" implies an exchange of sexual services for some sort of reward.
-
kiss ass (Vulgar Slang) To act submissively or obsequiously in order to gain favor. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/kissing+ass kiss (someone's) ass (American, very informal) to try too hard to please someone and to agree with everything they say, in a way which other people find unpleasant. "If you want promotion around here, you're going to have to kiss ass." http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/kissing+ass Idioms: kiss ass Also, kiss up to. Seek or gain favor by fawning or flattery, as in I am not going to kiss as to get the raise I deserve, or If I could find a good way to kiss up to the publisher, my book would be well promoted. The first, a vulgar slangy usage, was first recorded in 1705 as kiss arse, which is still the British usage. The variant, a euphemistic blend of kiss ass and suck up to, dates from the late 1900s. http://www.answers.com/kiss%20ass
RELATED QUESTIONS
Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC