I. ˈfȯn, ˈfän intransitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English faunen, from Old English fagnian, fægnian to rejoice, from fagen, fægen glad — more at fain
1. : to show delight or affection in such behavior as wagging the tail or licking — used especially of dogs
the puppy was fawning on its master as if it understood what he suffered
2. : to act in a sycophantic way : court favor by a cringing or overly flattering manner : grovel
they fawn and slaver over us — Robinson Jeffers
died, still fawning like the coward that he had always been — Bernard Pares
your knights here, who fawn on a damsel with soft words in the hall, and will kiss the dust off their queen's feet — Charles Kingsley
courtiers who fawn on a master while they betray him — T.B.Macaulay
II. noun
( -s )
obsolete : the act of fawning
III. ˈfȯn, ˈfän noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English foun, from Middle French faon, feon young of an animal, from Old French, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin feton-, feto, from Latin fetus offspring — more at fetus
1. : a young deer ; especially : one still unweaned or retaining a distinctive baby coat
2. : kid I 1
3. or fawn brown : a variable color averaging a light grayish brown that is yellower, darker, and slightly stronger than Deauville sand — called also autumn blond, faon
4. : one that is fawn colored
IV. intransitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English faunen, from Middle French faonner to give birth to young (said of an animal), from Old French, from faon, feon young of an animal
: to give birth to a fawn