Phrasal verb
cozy up to
Definition
phrasal verb. to act very friendly toward someone because you want them to like you or give you something.
phrasal verb. to ingratiate oneself with another person, typically for personal gain or to secure a favor; carries a connotation of insincerity or calculation.
Examples
“He is trying to cozy up to the boss to get a promotion.”
“The junior reporter tried to cozy up to the senator's assistant to get an exclusive interview.”
“Lobbyists often attempt to cozy up to influential committee members in hopes of swaying the upcoming legislative vote in their favor.”
Examples
simple
“He is trying to cozy up to the boss to get a promotion.”
contextual
“The junior reporter tried to cozy up to the senator's assistant to get an exclusive interview.”
complex
“Lobbyists often attempt to cozy up to influential committee members in hopes of swaying the upcoming legislative vote in their favor.”
Usage
usually implies the friendliness is not genuine but serves a specific purpose.
Teaching tip
highlight the physical origin of 'cozy' (warmth/closeness) to explain how the figurative meaning implies getting 'close' to someone for protection or profit.
Pitfall
She tried to cozy up with the manager.
She tried to cozy up to the manager.
the correct preposition following the particles is 'to', not 'with'.
Phrasal verb
Particles
up to
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
cozy + up + to + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/cozy-up-to