To “butter someone up” means to say nice things to someone with the purpose of having them agree to what you want to receive from them.

[我老爸叫我別對他獻殷勤了，這個週末他不會答應我待在你家的。]

討好某人，想從他那兒得到好處，就是 to butter someone up 的意思。此動詞片語，固有「諂媚、討好、奉承、阿諛」之意；換言之，即「獻殷勤」或「拍馬屁」也。