fawn

  • 1fawn — vb Fawn, toady, truckle, cringe, cower are comparable when they mean to act or behave with abjectness in the presence of a superior. Fawn implies a courting of favor by such acts of a sycophant as servile flattery and exaggerated deference {they… …

    New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 2Fawn — Fawn, n. [OF. faon the young one of any beast, a fawn, F. faon a fawn, for fedon, fr. L. fetus. See {Fetus}.] 1. (Zo[ o]l.) A young deer; a buck or doe of the first year. See {Buck}. [1913 Webster] 2. The young of an animal; a whelp. [Obs.] [1913 …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 3Fawn — Fawn, a. Of the color of a fawn; fawn colored. [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 4fawn — ‘young deer’ [14] and fawn ‘grovel’ [13] are two distinct words. The latter did not always have the negative associations of ‘servility’ which it usually carries today. Originally it simply referred to dogs showing they were happy – by wagging… …

    The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

  • 5fawn — ‘young deer’ [14] and fawn ‘grovel’ [13] are two distinct words. The latter did not always have the negative associations of ‘servility’ which it usually carries today. Originally it simply referred to dogs showing they were happy – by wagging… …

    Word origins

  • 6fawn on — ˈfawn over ˈfawn on [transitive] [present tense I/you/we/they fawn over he/she/it fawns over present participle fawning over past tens …

    Useful english dictionary

  • 7Fawn — Fawn, v. i. [Cf. F. faonner.] To bring forth a fawn. [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 8Fawn — Fawn, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Fawned}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Fawning}.] [OE. fawnen, fainen, fagnien, to rejoice, welcome, flatter, AS. f[ae]gnian to rejoice; akin to Icel. fagna to rejoice, welcome. See {Fain}.] To court favor by low cringing, frisking …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 9fawn — fawn·ing·ly; fawn; fawn·ing·ness; …

    English syllables

  • 10Fawn — Fawn, n. A servile cringe or bow; mean flattery; sycophancy. Shak. [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English