TOADY

n. & v.

n. (pl. -ies) a sycophant; an obsequious hanger-on.

v.tr. & (foll. by to) intr. (-ies, -ied) behave servilely to; fawn upon. toadyish adj. toadyism n.

[ contr. of toad-eater, a charlatan's attendant who ate toads (regarded as poisonous) ]