What does obsequious mean in simple terms?

What does obsequious mean in simple terms?

adjective. ob·​se·​qui·​ous | \ əb-ˈsē-kwē-əs , äb- \ Essential Meaning of obsequious. disapproving : too eager to help or obey someone important She’s constantly followed by obsequious assistants who will do anything she tells them to.

Is obsequious positive or negative?

By the 1500s, however, the word had acquired its modern sense of being fawning and sycophantic, and it has decidedly negative connotations today. The term “obsequious” is often used to describe someone who is too eager to follow, obey, and serve.

How do you use obsequious in a sentence?

Obsequious sentence example

1. The little girl had obsequious manners.
2. He was the creature of every passing mood or whim, incapable of cool and steady judgment or of the slightest self-control – an incalculable weathercock, blindly obsequious to every blast of passion.

What is an obsequious sycophant?

parasite, sycophant, toady, leech, sponge mean a usually obsequious flatterer or self-seeker. parasite applies to one who clings to a person of wealth, power, or influence or is useless to society. a jet-setter with an entourage of parasites sycophant adds to this a strong suggestion of fawning, flattery, or adulation.

What is sycophantic behavior?

Someone who’s sycophantic goes overboard with compliments, usually to gain some kind of advantage. You see sycophantic behavior in Hollywood all the time, from red carpet interviews pouring flattery on movie stars to fawning autograph seekers.

What is an example of obsequiousness?

The definition of obsequious is showing too much willingness to serve someone or something. An example of obsequious is a servant who dotes on his master. adjective. (archaic) Obedient, compliant with someone else’s orders or wishes.

Can you be obsequious?

Obsequious people are usually not being genuine; they resort to flattery and other fawning ways to stay in the good graces of authority figures. An obsequious person can be called a bootlicker, a brownnoser or a toady.

Where did obsequious come from?

It comes from the adjective obsequious, which ultimately comes from the Latin obsequi, meaning “to comply with.” If you are performing acts of obsequiousness, you are following the orders of whoever gave the orders to you. The word obsequiousness can refer to both willing and unwilling submission.

Can a person be nefarious?

nefarious Add to list Share. Describe a person’s actions as nefarious if they are evil or wicked. Batman and Superman are always fighting evildoers and stopping their nefarious plots. Nefarious comes from the Latin nefas “crime, impiety.” If something is nefarious, it is criminal, evil, malicious and wicked.

What is the difference between sycophant and obsequious?

The main difference between sycophancy and obsequiousness is that sycophancy refers to attempting to win favour from rich or influential people by flattering them, while obsequiousness refers to showing servile complaisance or deference.

What’s a Cinco Fant?

Tips: Sycophants are people who are overly flattering and servile toward someone with power or authority, in order to gain some kind of an advantage. For a memory trick, note how sycophant sounds like “psycho fan”–someone who is an over-the-top fan and shows this through excessive brown-nosing and flattery.

What does it mean to be obtuse?

Full Definition of obtuse 2a : lacking sharpness or quickness of sensibility or intellect : insensitive, stupid He is too obtuse to take a hint. b : difficult to comprehend : not clear or precise in thought or expression It is also, unfortunately, ill-written, and at times obtuse and often trivial.— Shirley Hazzard.

What is another word for be obsequious?

Synonyms for obsequious in Free Thesaurus. Antonyms for obsequious. 27 synonyms for obsequious: servile, flattering, cringing, fawning, abject, submissive, grovelling, menial, subservient, ingratiating, deferential, sycophantic.

What does obsequiously mean?

The word “obsequious” is used to describe someone who is almost pathetically eager to follow, obey, and serve. It is often used in a pejorative way, suggesting that someone has rather slavish tendencies which are obnoxious and sometimes embarrassing.

What is the meaning of ‘obsequiousness’?

Obsequiousness. The term is more strongly derogatory than apple-polisher, and was once considered vulgar owing to its derivation from the image of the ass kisser. Frequent use has rendered the term innocuous, though still insulting. Its corresponding verb form means to curry favor.

What does obsequia mean in Latin?

From Latin obsequiōsus (” complaisant, obsequious”), from obsequium (“compliance”), from obsequor (“comply with, yield to”), from ob (“in the direction of, towards”) + sequor (“follow”) (see sequel). ( archaic) Obedient; compliant with someone else’s orders or wishes.