What it means
Brownie-points are those imaginary little credits you build up when you do something nice, useful, or suspiciously thoughtful so somebody thinks better of you. Clean the kitchen without being asked, remember a date, back your manager at the right moment, and boom, you've banked some brownie-points. There's no real scoreboard, but everyone somehow knows the points are there.
Usage examples
"I took the bins out without being asked, definitely earning brownie-points today."
"He only remembered her birthday for the brownie-points, and it showed."
"I made her a coffee before she even asked, just farming brownie-points at this stage."
"He's been on his best behaviour all week trying to win some brownie-points back."
Where it comes from
The origin is debated, often tied to the Brownies, the junior Girl Scouts who earned merit points. The phrase spread through American English in the mid-twentieth century.
