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brownie

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brownie point

An informal and intangible mark of credit or approval, as from having done a good deed or by ingratiating oneself to others (especially one's superiors). Usually used in the plural. The company earned brownie points with the community for contributing part of their yearly earnings toward local development. You might get brownie points from the boss for volunteering to do things around the office, but it won't translate into a pay raise or promotion.

See also: brownie, point

earn/get brownie points

  (informal)

to get praise or approval for something you have done I thought I might get some brownie points by helping to organize the party.

See also: brownie, earn, point

brown-nose

  (informal)

to try too hard to please someone, especially someone in a position of authority, in a way that other people find unpleasant The rest of the class were sick of watching him brown-nose.

brownie points

Credit for a good deed, as in John earned a lot of brownie points for doing his boss's report for him. The term originated with the points earned for various achievements by the youngest group of the Girl Scouts, called Brownies. In the mid-1900s it was transferred to general use.

See also: brownie, point

brownie points

n. imaginary credit for doing something well. (Originally “demerits” in railroading.) How many brownie points do I get for not frowning when you take my picture?

See also: brownie, point

brown-nose

1. and brownie and brown-noser n. a sycophant; one who flatters for self-serving motives. You are just a plain old brown-nose. Will some brown-noser please try to get the teacher to put off the test?

2. tv. & in. to curry favor with someone; to be a sycophant. Don keeps brown-nosing, and the professor pretends not to notice.

brownie

verb

See brown-nose