一日一成语【38】polish the apple

polish the apple

奉承拍马，献媚取悦这种恶习恐怕有悠久的历史，在语言中也有所反映。在英语中便有不少表示这一意义的词语，今天要介绍的polish the apple便是其中之一。苹果是英美人喜爱的水果之一，为别人把苹果擦得光光亮亮的，自然讨人欢喜，这也许就是这个成语的由来吧！做这种事的人也就由此得到了apple-polisher之名：

He always appears to be eager to help the teacher, not to show the teacher respect, but just to polish the apple.
他总是很急于要帮老师的忙的样子，并非是表示对老师的尊敬，只不过是讨好老师罢了。

I despise those people who polish the apple for the boss at work in order to get a promotion.
我看不起那些在工作时拍上司马屁以得到提升的人。

Everybody knows that he is an apple-polisher, he owes his present position to the little favours he has done to his superiors.
谁都知道他是个马屁精，他能有今天，就是因为他对上级所施的种种小恩小惠。