Hypertext Webster Gateway: "sycophant"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Sycophant \Syc"o*phant\, n. [L. sycophanta a slanderer,
deceiver, parasite, Gr. ? a false accuser, false adviser,
literally, a fig shower; ? a fig + ? to show: cf. F.
sycophante. The reason for the name is not certainly known.
See {Phenomenon}.]
1. An informer; a talebearer. [Obs.] ``Accusing sycophants,
of all men, did best sort to his nature.'' --Sir P.
Sidney.
2. A base parasite; a mean or servile flatterer; especially,
a flatterer of princes and great men.
A sycophant will everything admire: Each verse, each
sentence, sets his soul on fire. --Dryden.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Sycophant \Syc"o*phant\, v. t. [CF. L. sycophantari to deceive,
to trick, Gr. ?.]
1. To inform against; hence, to calumniate. [Obs.]
Sycophanting and misnaming the work of his
adversary. --Milton.
2. To play the sycophant toward; to flatter obsequiously.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Sycophant \Syc"o*phant\, v. i.
To play the sycophant.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
sycophant
n : a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a
personal advantage [syn: {toady}, {crawler}, {lackey}]
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