What's the word for...

[stickygirl]

There must be other reverse-dictionary queries so post them here and a wise person will hopefully provide an answer.
So to start, I know there's a word for it: repeated pointless offers of help to illicit ( I mean elicit ) gratitude.

No, I'm not being ungrateful, but when someone has developed a habit of offering help when it's clearly unnecessary eg. "let me carry that for you" when you have already lifted/struggled it to its destination OR "would you like me to stay on an extra five minutes?" when the lab is emptying and it's my turn to lock up in 30 minutes.
It just seems like they want to sound super-helpful but simply hunger for gratitude especially when they are in earshot of others.

What's the word for that?

 

[Hypoxia]

repeated pointless offers of help to illicit gratitude.

"Illicit gratitude" sounds ominous. Maybe you meant "elicit'?

 

[BurningMonkey]

There must be other reverse-dictionary queries so post them here and a wise person will hopefully provide an answer.
So to start, I know there's a word for it: repeated pointless offers of help to illicit gratitude.

No, I'm not being ungrateful, but when someone has developed a habit of offering help when it's clearly unnecessary eg. "let me carry that for you" when you have already lifted/struggled it to its destination OR "would you like me to stay on an extra five minutes?" when the lab is emptying and it's my turn to lock up in 30 minutes.
It just seems like they want to sound super-helpful but simply hunger for gratitude especially when they are in earshot of others.

What's the word for that?

With a nod to Hypoxia's correction, I believe the word you're looking for is "ingratiate". (Or maybe "suck-ass"...)

 

[jsmiam]

There must be other reverse-dictionary queries so post them here and a wise person will hopefully provide an answer.
So to start, I know there's a word for it: repeated pointless offers of help to illicit gratitude.

No, I'm not being ungrateful, but when someone has developed a habit of offering help when it's clearly unnecessary eg. "let me carry that for you" when you have already lifted/struggled it to its destination OR "would you like me to stay on an extra five minutes?" when the lab is emptying and it's my turn to lock up in 30 minutes.
It just seems like they want to sound super-helpful but simply hunger for gratitude especially when they are in earshot of others.

What's the word for that?

"Symantec".. If this were a tech forum, you'd be laughing.. ;-)

Obsequious is possibly a word you might like. Fawning. Pandering.

You are focusing on the insincere aspect though? They still apply loosely, but I bet someone comes up with better too.

 

[jsmiam]

Sycophant could be good too..

Tarry in some uses? Lollygag.

 

[BurningMonkey]

Sycophant could be good too.

That depends on whether you're describing the person or their actions.

 

[legerdemer]

I love the words "sycophant" and "obsequious" - great words.

Brown-nose might be another term that fits the description.

 

[BurningMonkey]

"Toady" is another one.

 

[stickygirl]

elicit elicit elicit elicit elicit elicit elicit elicit elicit elicit elicit elicit elicit elicit elicit elicit
I'll try to remember that now


sorry my stupid is showing

obsequious is close but meh
sycophantic 'behaving or done in an obsequious way in order to gain advantage.' I certainly get the impression its been done for advantage, but I never realised its meaning encompassed gaining advantage.

Thanks guys xxx

 

[redzinger]

I think I know what stickygirl means.

It's an action meant to make the recipient of act feel beholden to the offerer. It's a type of power play.

It's not ingratiating, it's the opposite...can't think of the word though. Sorry.

 

[BurningMonkey]

"Ingratiate: to gain favor or favorable acceptance for by deliberate effort."

How is that the opposite of what you just described? The one performing the act seeks to gain the favor of the one for whom the act was performed by engendering gratitude in the recipient (hence the "gratiate' in the root).

 

[oggbashan]

Charles Dickens' character Uriah Heep was the prime exponent of slimy ingratiation and ever so 'umble.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uriah_Heep

 

[BurningMonkey]

Charles Dickens' character Uriah Heep was the prime exponent of slimy ingratiation and ever so 'umble.

The Eddie Haskell of his day.

(For those too young to remember Eddie, google "Leave It To Beaver".)

 

[stickygirl]

"Ingratiate: to gain favor or favorable acceptance for by deliberate effort."

How is that the opposite of what you just described? The one performing the act seeks to gain the favor of the one for whom the act was performed by engendering gratitude in the recipient (hence the "gratiate' in the root).

It's not that this person is seeking acceptance from me because they are in a superior position work-wise. It's more that they like to be heard and seen to be acting with kindness when actually their offer is entirely hollow.

I must check up on Uriah Heep

 

[BurningMonkey]

It's not that this person is seeking acceptance from me because they are in a superior position work-wise. It's more that they like to be heard and seen to be acting with kindness when actually their offer is entirely hollow.

I must check up on Uriah Heep

"Hypocrite" might be the word you're looking for, then.

 

[Handley_Page]

It's not that this person is seeking acceptance from me because they are in a superior position work-wise. It's more that they like to be heard and seen to be acting with kindness when actually their offer is entirely hollow.

I must check up on Uriah Heep

fraudulent?

 

[beachbum1958]

There must be other reverse-dictionary queries so post them here and a wise person will hopefully provide an answer.
So to start, I know there's a word for it: repeated pointless offers of help to illicit ( I mean elicit ) gratitude.

No, I'm not being ungrateful, but when someone has developed a habit of offering help when it's clearly unnecessary eg. "let me carry that for you" when you have already lifted/struggled it to its destination OR "would you like me to stay on an extra five minutes?" when the lab is emptying and it's my turn to lock up in 30 minutes.
It just seems like they want to sound super-helpful but simply hunger for gratitude especially when they are in earshot of others.

What's the word for that?

I quite like 'truckle', and 'crawl' or 'crawler/crawling' works for me as well, although 'insinuate', with it's connotation (for me, at least) of worming or burrowing one's way in, or sinuous, worm-like actions, could be a possible antonym.

 

[NOIRTRASH]

Propitiate or maybe placate. Both imply pre-meditation.

 

[jsmiam]

The person is illicitly eliciting ingratiation, ignominiously.

 

[BurningMonkey]

The person is illicitly eliciting ingratiation, ignominiously.

And ignobly.

 

[jsmiam]

I suppose just as "attention seeker" has become a term, and there wasn't a single word that fully did the job, "appreciation seeker" or something similar might be necessary?

 

[stickygirl]

The person is illicitly eliciting ingratiation, ignominiously.

This therapy is definitely working If I can understand it better then it won't have such a hold on me ( if that makes sense )

 

[Bramblethorn]

I think I know what you mean - sort of Nice Guy behaviour, social loansharking?

"Currying favour" is the best one I can think of. If it's directed at somebody higher up the food chain, "obsequious" would also fit.

 

[jsmiam]

This therapy is definitely working If I can understand it better then it won't have such a hold on me ( if that makes sense )

What?? This isn't for a story??

Write a femdom story about the person. End it with a good pegging... ;-)

Edit-peg anyway, even if it's a she. Call me to watch though!

 

[stickygirl]

What?? This isn't for a story??

Write a femdom story about the person. End it with a good pegging... ;-)

No sorry - just real life

Pegging this person?! Eew, just had a little bit of sick come up