greasing up

Verb

grease up (third-person singular simple present greases up, present participle greasing up, simple past and past participle greased up)

1. (transitive) To smear or otherwise lubricate with oil or grease; especially, to grease (something, such as a machine or a baking pan) thoroughly.
   • On the evening of our second day Mr. Bliss said he thought we ought to grease up our shoes a little so that they would turn water better.1898, Charles Hallock, William A. Bruette, Forest and stream: Volume 51
2. (often, slang, with-to) To flatter (someone) excessively; to suck up.
   • But I take the view that the statue is a cheap and cynical stunt by ministers with scant knowledge of history, whose only interest lies in greasing up to modern Indian politicians. With little or no dignity, they shamelessly prostrate themselves in the most craven way.2014 July 10, Stephen Glover, “Sorry, but Gandhi statue in Westminster is a cheap stunt by ministers with scant knowledge of history greasing up to India”, in Daily Mail