attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery

attentive in an ingratiating or servile manner; " obsequious shop assistants"

Obsequiousness.

Promptly obedient, or submissive, to the will of another; compliant; yielding to the desires of another; devoted.

Servilely or meanly attentive; compliant to excess; cringing; fawning; as, obsequious flatterer, parasite.

Of or pertaining to obsequies; funereal.

Meanly submissive to the will of another; servile; humble to excess.

Compliant to excess: meanly condescending.

Meanly submissive or compliant.

Meanly submissive; compliant; cringing.

Readily compliant; meanly condescending; servilely compliant.

Promptly obedient or compliant to the will of another; compliant to excess; meanly or servilely condescending.

The inside passenger made a yet more obsequious surrender. – Stingaree by E. W. (Ernest William) Hornung

" Certainly, my Lady," replied the obsequious Mr. Shagg, " anything your Ladyship pleases; your Ladyship can have any hammer- cloth you like; and I have accordingly brought patterns of the very newest fashions for your Ladyship to make choice. – Marriage by Susan Edmonstone Ferrier

I wanted the obsequious servants, who ran at my bidding, and whose respectful manner was a homage I loved to exact. – That Boy Of Norcott's by Charles James Lever

For a while, Cromwell listened or appeared to listen with half an ear only, his attention divided between the speaker and a map which the obsequious Pownall had placed on the table. – A Little Wizard by Stanley J. Weyman

Shuttle and Weaver's obsequious message of apologies and hopes. – Ten Thousand a-Year. Volume 1. by Samuel Warren

I watched as the dark- suited Japanese businessmen filed past, none with Noda's sense of style, and noticed that several seemed acquainted with him, pausing to offer obsequious bows. – The Samurai Strategy by Thomas Hoover

We'll tax the Nation high, the City higher, They are our Friends, our most obsequious Slaves, Our Dogs to fetch and carry, our very Asses- Lov. – The Works of Aphra Behn, Vol. I (of 6) by Aphra Behn

" Your most obedient, sir," commenced that gentleman, in a subdued and obsequious manner, plucking off his hat the instant that he saw Titmouse. – Ten Thousand a-Year. Volume 1. by Samuel Warren

As soon as accident had put me in full possession of the truth on this head, I was no longer thus foolishly obsequious. – Jane Talbot by Charles Brockden Brown

The freedman entered his master's palace neither saluted nor welcomed by the once obsequious slaves in the outer lodge. – Antonina by Wilkie Collins

It chanced to be the room with the great glass cases, full of fine gowns and laces, where she had been dressed by the obsequious attendants on the previous day. – Between Whiles by Helen Hunt Jackson

Mr. Bewicke and his soldier rode with us: the latter a dark, lean- faced, unwholesome- looking man, unable, like so many of his countrymen, to grow any hair on his face- an obsequious individual too, inspiring little trust; below his long blue cloak he wore brown riding- boots, embroidered with orange, and fastening up the back with orange- thread buttons. – In the Tail of the Peacock by Isabel Savory

Opposite him stood the worthy steward, with the old- fashioned, scrupulously obsequious, and infallibly respectful homage of a former generation writ large on every feature of his bronzed countenance. – A Hungarian Nabob by Maurus Jókai

The officer of the law, who a few minutes before had been his servant, fee- bound, obsequious, took on another shape. – Ovington's Bank by Stanley J. Weyman

Selim was most obsequious, and seemed ready to do everything for my comfort. – Paul Patoff by F. Marion Crawford

Another Oriental, but not as the obsequious Hiram. – A Victor of Salamis by William Stearns Davis

" Yes, sir," said the obsequious butler. – The Hampstead Mystery by John R. Watson

He brought the proprietor, an obsequious little German who, on learning my name, repeated it in every sentence. – The Complete PG Edition of The Works of Winston Churchill by Winston Churchill