transitive verb. To curry favor with in an obsequious manner; fawn on.

noun. One who brownnoses; one who sucks up; a bootlicker, ass-kisser, sycophant.

verb. To flatter someone (especially a superior) in an obsequious manner, and to support their every opinion

"And there are people who are in government because they are looking to brownnose the industries they are supposed to be regulating so they can get a really high paying lobbyist job after a few years in government."

brown noser  brown-noser  brownnoser