English Reference
Idiom idiom

lick someone's boots


To try hard to please someone.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

“He always licks his boss's boots to get a promotion.”

CONTEXTUAL

“I dislike how he constantly licks the manager's boots just to earn a little extra favor.”

COMPLEX

“The ambitious junior associate was willing to lick the senior partner's boots if it meant securing a path to a prestigious partnership.”


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    another nail in someone's coffin

    An event that increases the likelihood of or causes further failure.

  2. 02

    answer someone's prayers

    To be or do exactly what someone has been wishing or asking for.

  3. 03

    answer to someone's prayers

    Exactly what someone has been wishing or asking for.

  4. 04

    apple of someone's eye

    The object of somebody's affections; a person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers; a favorite, a loved one.

  5. 05

    bane of someone's existence

    Someone or something that poses a significant problem to someone.

  6. 06

    bash someone's face in

    To beat someone violently.

  7. 07

    bash someone's head

    To beat up someone violently.

  8. 08

    be someone's to lose

    To be anticipated to be won by someone.

Last updated August 10, 2026