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这是一条源于美国，仅有50多年历史的成语。"polish"作动词解释，为"磨光，擦亮"之意，"apple-polish"并非擦苹果，其真实含意是"逢迎，讨好，拍马"。而apple-polisher即指拍马屁的人，马屁精（someone who gives gifts or uses flattery to excess to win friendship or special treatment）。
据说过去在美国的一些小学里，有些学生常把苹果擦得光亮，放在老师的讲桌上。这么做最初的动机可能是出于对老师的尊敬和感激，但后来渐渐有人以此来讨好老师，希望博得老师的欢心，对他们低劣的作业高抬贵手。因此，“ to polish the apple”就有了“溜须拍马”的意思，而apple polisher自然就成了拍马屁的人。这一习语即从此种风俗而来。有时在apple前加上old, 或在apple 后加or two，别无意义，只是为了调整语调。
在英语中，表示类似含义的短语还有“soft-soap”（抹肥皂）, “butter up”（涂黄油）。 A gift is just one way to “soft-soap” somebody or to “butter him up”. All these phrases imply the use of flattery – telling someone how good he looks, how well he speaks, or how talented and wise he is.
She is a real apple polisher for the way she's crawling around the boss and making eyes at him.
【中】她是一个马屁精，整天围着老板眉来眼去的。
He is promoted very quickly because he is good at polishing the apple.
【中】他善于拍马屁所以升迁很快。
He hopes to pass the exam by apple-polishing the teacher.
【中】他拍老师的马屁以求通过考试。
You can never soft-soap a serious man like him.
【中】像他那样正经的人，你无法奉承。 | | |