society

A disparaging term for two (or more) people who engage in lavish mutual praise and admiration. I can't stand working with Tony and Linda. They praise each other from the moment they walk through the door—it's like they've formed a mutual admiration society!

a situation in which two people express a lot of admiration for each other 'You haven't aged at all.' 'Neither have you and look how slim you are!' 'Hey, you two, why don't you form a mutual admiration society!'

A relationship in which two people have strong feelings of esteem for each other and often exchange lavish compliments. The term may signify either genuine or pretended admiration, as in Each of them praised the other's book-it was a real mutual admiration society. The expression was invented by Henry David Thoreau in his journal (1851) and repeated by Oliver Wendell Holmes and others.

see under mutual admiration society.

The collective term for socialites and movie celebrities who frequented fashionable restaurants and nightclubs. From the end of World War I through the 1960s, the media covered the comings and goings of members of Society (with a capital S, the word referred to people of “good family,” which in turn meant old money), and glamorous movie stars much as celebrity-chroniclers now report on Paris Hilton, Brad/Angelina, TV reality show personalities, and other boldface celebrities. Among the more popular haunts were Manhattan's Stork Club and El Morocco nightclubs. Then as now, a substantial portion of the population was interested in the lives of their social betters, and newspaper gossip columnists reported on party- and club-goers in the next day's editions. It was one such scribe, Maury Paul (pen-name: Cholly Knickerbocker) who coined the phrase “café society.”

Two or more people who lavishly praise the other person's or people's personalities and accomplishments, often far beyond what is deserved. The phrase, which is said to have originated with Henry David Thoreau in 1851, may have been used earlier. Its use as the title of a song from the 1956 musical comedy Happy Hunting that was successfully recorded by a number of singers boosted the phrase's popularity.