ingratiate

[Bailey]

in·gra·ti·ate (n-grsh-t)
tr.v. in·gra·ti·at·ed, in·gra·ti·at·ing, in·gra·ti·ates
To bring (oneself, for example) into the favor or good graces of another, especially by deliberate effort: She quickly sought to ingratiate herself with the new administration.



[Perhaps from Italian ingraziare, from in grazia, into favor, from Latin in grtiam : in, in; see in-2 + grtiam, accusative of grtia, favor (from grtus, pleasing; see gwer-2 in Indo-European roots).]



in·grati·ation n.
in·grati·a·tory (-sh--tôr, -tr) adj.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

mark please-ing Bailey

[Slava]

Truly a pleasing word, MB. Odd that the Dr. hasn't operated on it as yet. Odd, too, that in a search it turns up but once, in this post. We need to use this word more often.

I like dogs, and though I don't have one myself, to ingratiate myself to those I meet, I carry dog treats with me. They tend to be very happy and treat me with great affection afterward.