If one feels compelled to use a cliché or idiom, at least use it “correctly.”

(The other day I heard someone say that “(It’s) as easy as shooting ducks in a barrel.”)

One of my preferred places from which to mine incorrect usage is NPR.

Today, on “Morning Edition,” we were treated to a sports reporter, talking about the new college football playoff system, saying that one of the things that led to the institution of the new system was a scandal in which “. . . employees (of one BCS bowl) had curried favors from college football officials . . .”

(Sounds mighty tasty to me.)

Now, most of us know that the idiom is “curried favor.”  (And frankly, I think the proper preposition to use with this one is “with” or maybe “of.”)

“Curried favor.”  What does that mean?  Simply, it’s when you act in a way toward someone that causes the other person to treat you with “approbation” or “partiality.”  (Let’s just say it’s:  “kissing up” so you can “get in good with” someone.)

Currying favor is NOT treating someone in a way that gets him to do you a favor.  (Hence, if we want to speak properly, we would never use the plural, “favors,” in this expression.)