Heepish

Heepish

English

Etymology

Heep +‎ -ish: From the Dickens character Uriah Heep, noted for his cloying humility, obsequiousness, and insincerity, the stereotypical yes man.

Adjective

Heepish (comparative more Heepish, superlative most Heepish)

1. Exhibiting cloying, insincere obsequiousness.
   • 1863, "Editor's Table", The Continental Monthly Vol. III no. 1 (Jan 1863) p. 127

     The London Times will, we presume, impugn the motives of the charity—call it Pecksniffian and Heep-ish—or possibly try to prove that the Federals had no hand in the good deed.

   • 2001, Nicholas Peel, The Lost Story (iUniverse, 2001) p. 130

     The two functionaries were all oleaginous smiles and Heepish hand-wringing declaring their eagerness to be of service to such a fine and deserving young person.

   • 2004, Reginald Hill, Good Morning, Midnight (HarperCollins, 2004)

     Dalziel scratched his crotch reflectively, then replied in a fawning Heepish tone, “I'm sorry, Mrs Maciver, I know what you must be feeling, but it's not my decision. ..."

   • 2014, Siri Hustvedt, The Blazing World, (Simon and Schuster, 2014) p. 40

     As an interviewer, i quickly grasped that the key was to ingratiate myself with the subject, to be admiring, even humble, but not Heepish.