Tonight I went to my youngest redhead's school for Back To School Night and as I sat and listened to the Principle and her teacher team I was overwhelmed with gratitude for this school that she is in. It is a great school, not just for her but for any kid. The staff at this school is outstanding, the administration is top notch. Within this excellent school is a specialized school called the Academic Arts Academy, they teach core curriculum through arts and it is P.E.R.F.E.C.T. for the youngest redhead. She is really growing up and learning and thriving in this school and I couldn't help it, my eyes filled with tears. I am just so incredibly grateful for this opportunity for her and her future.
There are two probable origins for this idiom and I think both are equally plausible. The first one is that when you spread butter on bread you are buttering it up like one would do when trying to flatter someone. The second is in ancient India there was a practice of throwing balls of butter at statues to ask for favor, i.e. buttering them up. ( source ) When we use the phrase today we generally mean that extreme flattery is used to gain information or favor. It's not always necessarily a compliment.
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