Apple-polisher

[Dennis R. Preston]

I have "brownie points" (which one earns from brown-nosing") but
never had "brownie" for the "brown-noser" - perhaps too much
interference from "Brownie" equals +fem Cub Scout.

For me an "apple-knocker" is the same as a "shit-kicker" - an
(exaggeratedly) rural person. I lack the verb "to apple-knock."

dInIs

>If my coworkers are any indication, "apple-polisher" is starting to fade
>from the scene.  In a group of 13 of them five of the youngest were
>unfamiliar with the term, including a college student in elementary ed who
>was familiar with "apple for the teacher".
>
>Here they are by gender, age, where they grew up, and Y/N familiar with
>"apple-polisher".  (TC = Twin Cities)
>
>F 20 TC         N
>F 20 TC         N
>F 24 No WI      N
>M 25 SW WI      Y
>F 29 TC         N
>M 34 TC         N
>F 36 SE WI      Y
>F 47 So MN      Y
>F 54 SE MI      Y
>M 54 NE MN      Y
>F 55 TC         Y
>F 56 SE MN      Y
>F 59 TC         Y
>
>RHHDAS has citations from 1927 - 1988.  DARE seems to to consider it too
>standard to merit much comment, unlike apple-shiner, apple-knock and apple
>up.  It occurs without label in MW3, while RHUD and AH4 call it informal,
>but not old-fashioned.
>
>While I've know the term for as long as I can remember, my term of choice
>(except in very polite company) has always been "brownie" or "brown-noser".
>
>   Tom Kysilko        Practical Data Services
>   pds at visi.com       Saint Paul MN USA