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The word for today is…

lionise (verb):

: to treat as an object of great interest or importance

Source : Merriam -Webster

Etymology : It is perhaps no surprise that humans have long projected qualities of bravery and regality upon the proverbial “king of the beasts.” It is precisely those and similar admirable qualities that led, in the 18th century, to lion being used for a person who is similarly well-regarded, especially after a long and distinguished career in a particular field, as in “lion of Parliament,” or “literary lion.” This sense of lion imbues the verb lionise, which first appeared in English in the early 19th century to apply to acts of treating someone as, perhaps, deserving of roaring applause.

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