Once, after I used the American term “Brown Noser”, I had an unusual conversation with my mother in law. Her argument was that the Irish equivalent, Lick Arse, was much less disagreeable. My point was that you’d have to use your tongue on someone’s arse. Her point was that Brown Noser fully specified where the nose went, but Lick Arse never mentions where the tongue would go. It could be any part of the arse, not necessarily a part that would make it brown.
I conceded her point.