Butter up, say
I believe the answer is:
flatter
'butter up say' is the definition.
(buttering up is a kind of flattering)
This is the entire clue.
(Other definitions for flatter that I've seen before include "with fewer bubbles" , "comparatively monotonous" , "Praise obsequiously" , "Do so to deceive" , "Compliment dishonestly" .)