美国习惯用语|cozy up

我经常到楼下的餐馆去吃午饭。那儿新来了一个服务员，特别会拍顾客的马屁，有时让人很不舒服。他第一次见面时问我，"Haven't I seen you in a movie before?" 我知道他这么做的目的是什么，这在英语里这叫，cozy up. Cozy在中文里有舒适的，亲密的意思。Cozy up作为习惯用语，意思就是为了得到某种好处去巴结别人、讨好别人。大家肯定能猜到，那个服务员跟顾客套近乎，不为别的，无非是想多拿些小费。That's why he was trying to cozy up to me.

我先生昨天跟我说，他有个同事叫Gladys, 最近一直讨好老板，为什么呢，让我们听听看。

例句-1：Ever since Gladys got put on the night shift, she's been cozying up to the boss. By baking him cookies and showering him with compliments, she's trying to get him to switch her back to the day shift. We'll see if her efforts have any influence on him.

他说：自从格雷蒂斯开始上夜班以来，她就一直在讨好老板，不是烤饼干，就是拍马屁，她希望老板能把自己调回去上白班。格雷蒂斯能成功吗，我们等着看吧。

我也有个特别会拍马屁的同事，动不动就跑到老板的办公室里，称赞老板多有领导能力，今天的衣服穿得多么得体。He cozied up to her all the time. 在英语里，我们说这种人是bootlicker, 舔靴子的人，马屁精。

我女儿班上，有一位家长，特别喜cozy up to the teachers, 她在百货公司工作，动不动就主动帮老师买便宜货，就是为了老师对自己的孩子好一些。这就叫可怜天下父母心。

******

在美国，房地产开发商是很赚钱的买卖，他们是怎么运作的呢？我们来听听下面这个记者是怎么说的。
 
例句-2：The Smith Development Company is so predictable. Once it discovers farmland that could be turned into new housing, it cozies up to local politicians. With the access it gains, building plans are soon approved. Before long, construction crews are busy at work!

这个记者说：史密斯开发公司一贯的做法是，一旦发现可以用来开发房地产的农田，就去跟当地的政客套近乎。跟政客混熟后，土地开发计划很快就能得到批准，用不了多久，工地就开工了。

也许商界和政界的关系本来就是如此。政府的很多决定恐怕都是由幕后这些利益集团推动的。They cozy up to the politicians to get what they want.