toady

¹toady

noun \ˈtō-dē\

plural toad·ies

Definition of TOADY

: one who flatters in the hope of gaining favors : sycophant

Examples of TOADY

1. She's a real toady to the boss.
2. <no one liked the office toady, who spent most of her time complimenting the boss on what a great job he was doing>

Origin of TOADY

by shortening & alteration from toadeater

First Known Use: 1826

Related to TOADY

Synonyms

apple-polisher, bootlicker, brownnoser, fawner, flunky (also flunkey or flunkie), lickspittle, suck-up, sycophant

Related Words

yes-man; apparatchik, company man; hanger-on, leech, parasite, sponge, sponger; henchman, lackey, lapdog, minion, running dog, satellite, slave, stooge; admirer, cultist, devotee, enthusiast, fan, groveler, idolater (or idolator), worshipper (or worshiper), zealot; adherent, camp follower, convert, disciple, follower, me-tooer, partisan (also partizan), pupil, votary

See Synonym Discussion at parasite

Rhymes with TOADY

Cody, roadie

²toady

intransitive verb

toad·iedtoady·ing

Definition of TOADY

: to behave as a toady : engage in sycophancy

— toady·ism \-ē-ˌi-zəm\ noun

Examples of TOADY

1. He's always toadying to the boss.
2. <a satirical novel about an amoral go-getter who toadies his way to the top of the corporate ladder>

First Known Use of TOADY

circa 1859

Related to TOADY

Synonyms

apple-polish, bootlick, fuss, kowtow, suck (up), fawn, truckle

Related Words

drool, gush, slaver, slobber; endear, ingratiate; court, woo; adulate, idolize, worship; blandish, cajole, coax, flatter, overpraise, soft-soap; cower, cringe, grovel; abase, debase, demean; defer, submit, yield

Near Antonyms

despise, disdain, scorn; gibe (or jibe), jeer, scoff; brave, challenge, defy

See Synonym Discussion at fawn