English

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.