From Middle English fawne, fowne, foun, from Old French faon, foon, feon, from Vulgar Latin *fētōnem, from Latin fētus (“offspring, young”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁(y)- (“to suckle, nurse”). Displaced native Old English hindċealf (literally “deer calf”). Doublet of fetus.
ga osbhuí (pertaining to the colour) · pl płowy (pertaining to the colour) · ro cafeniu (pertaining to the colour) · hu őzbarna (pertaining to the colour) · vo stägülakölik (pertaining to the colour) · cs světle hnědý (pertaining to the colour) · de beige (pertaining to the colour) · da dådyrfarvet (pertaining to the colour) · da lysebrun (pertaining to the colour) · it fulvo (pertaining to the colour) · nl reebruin (pertaining to the colour) · pt fulvo (pertaining to the colour) · fi vaaleanruskea (pertaining to the colour) · cs plavý (pertaining to the colour) · ga buídhonn (pertaining to the colour) · de rehbraun (pertaining to the colour)
From Middle English fawne, fowne, foun, from Old French faon, foon, feon, from Vulgar Latin *fētōnem, from Latin fētus (“offspring, young”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁(y)- (“to suckle, nurse”). Displaced native Old English hindċealf (literally “deer calf”). Doublet of fetus.
Meanings
A young deer.
The city recently carried out a deer census, determining there are 313 stags (males), 798 does (females) and 214 fawns (babies) in Nara Park. 2024 July 23, Lilit Marcus, “Japan may be sick of mass tourism. But the deer in this ancient UNESCO-listed city love it”, in CNN:
A pale brown colour tinted with yellow, like that of a fawn.
(obsolete) The young of an animal; a whelp.
she [the tigress] rageth upon the shore and the sands, for the losse of her fawnes 1601, C[aius] Plinius Secundus [i.e., Pliny the Elder], “(please specify |book=I to XXXVII)”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Historie of the World. Commonly Called, The Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus. […], (please specify |tome=1 or 2), London: […] Adam Islip, →OCLC:
From Middle English fawne, fowne, foun, from Old French faon, foon, feon, from Vulgar Latin *fētōnem, from Latin fētus (“offspring, young”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁(y)- (“to suckle, nurse”). Displaced native Old English hindċealf (literally “deer calf”). Doublet of fetus.
From Middle English fawnen, from Old English fagnian, alternative form of fæġnian (“to celebrate”), whence Middle English fainen, English fain. Cognate with Old Norse fagna. See also fain.
From Middle English fawnen, from Old English fagnian, alternative form of fæġnian (“to celebrate”), whence Middle English fainen, English fain. Cognate with Old Norse fagna. See also fain.
Meanings
(intransitive, of a dog, qualifier:literal) To show devotion or submissiveness by wagging its tail, nuzzling, licking, etc.
(broadly, figuratively, intransitive) To exhibit affection toward someone.
(broadly, figuratively, intransitive) To attempt to please someone.
(broadly, derogatory, figuratively, intransitive) To seek favour by flattery and obsequious behaviour.
You showed your teeth like apes, and fawned like hounds. 1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:
That the young Mr. Churchills liked—but they did not like him coming round of an evening and drinking weak whisky-and-water while he held forth on railway debentures and corporation loans. Mr. Barrett, however, by fawning and flattery, seemed to be able to make not only Mrs. Churchill but everyone else do what he desired. 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter II, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
courtiers who fawn on a master while they betray him 1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter XXIII, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC:
Thou with trembling fear, / Or like a fawning parasite, obeyest. 1671, John Milton, Paradise Regained, book 1:
ro flata (to seek favour by flattery) · ru подхали́мничать (to seek favour by flattery) · enm fawnen (to seek favour by flattery) · cs pochlebovat (to seek favour by flattery) · ar تَزَلَّفَ (to seek favour by flattery) · nl vleien (to exhibit affection) · ar تَمَلَّقَ (to seek favour by flattery) · it essere servile (to seek favour by flattery) · cs podlézat (to seek favour by flattery) · bg подмазвам се (to seek favour by flattery) · pt agradar (to exhibit affection) · cs lísat se (to seek favour by flattery) · ru заи́скивать (to seek favour by flattery) · pt adular (to seek favour by flattery) · bg лаская (to seek favour by flattery) · bg лаская (to exhibit affection) · fi heiluttaa häntää (to show devotion or submissiveness) · pl łasić się (to exhibit affection) · nl vleien (to seek favour by flattery) · nl versieren (to seek favour by flattery) · pt bajular (to seek favour by flattery) · pl mizdrzyć się (to seek favour by flattery) · nl kwispelen (to show devotion or submissiveness) · pl schlebiać (to seek favour by flattery) · fi nöyristellä (to seek favour by flattery) · enm fawnen (to show devotion or submissiveness) · cmn 拍馬屁 /拍马屁 (to seek favour by flattery) · la adūlor (to seek favour by flattery) · ro alinta (to exhibit affection) · no logre for, krype for (to show devotion or submissiveness) · pl łasić się (to show devotion or submissiveness) · it fare le feste (to show devotion or submissiveness) · ru ласка́ться (to exhibit affection) · ru подли́зываться (to seek favour by flattery) · mi patipati (to seek favour by flattery) · fi liehitellä (to seek favour by flattery) · fi olla mieliksi (to exhibit affection) · sv lisma (to seek favour by flattery) · cs lísat se (to show devotion or submissiveness) · it adulare (to seek favour by flattery) · da logre (to exhibit affection) · fr flagorner (to seek favour by flattery) · de anhimmeln (to exhibit affection) · fr ramper (to seek favour by flattery) · cmn 拍馬 /拍马 (to seek favour by flattery) · cy cynffonna (to seek favour by flattery) · ru лебези́ть (to seek favour by flattery) · da sleske (to seek favour by flattery) · fi imarrella (to seek favour by flattery) · pl włazić w dupę (to seek favour by flattery) · de schwänzeln (to show devotion or submissiveness) · pl podlizywać się (to seek favour by flattery) · ro gudura (to show devotion or submissiveness) · da logre (to show devotion or submissiveness) · es adular a (to seek favour by flattery) · ru уго́дничать (to seek favour by flattery) · pl nadskakiwać (to seek favour by flattery) · ro răsfăța (to exhibit affection) · es hacer carantoñas (to show devotion or submissiveness) · fi nuoleskella (to seek favour by flattery) · bg въртя опашка (to show devotion or submissiveness) · pl płaszczyć się (to seek favour by flattery) · es hacer fiestas a (to exhibit affection) · pt puxar saco (to seek favour by flattery) · ro măguli (to seek favour by flattery) · it leccare (to seek favour by flattery) · hu hízeleg (to seek favour by flattery) · fi hännystellä (to seek favour by flattery) · ro linguși (to seek favour by flattery) · es lisonjear a (to seek favour by flattery) · yue 擦鞋 (to seek favour by flattery) · de schwanzwedeln (to show devotion or submissiveness) · nb smiske (to seek favour by flattery) · it dimostrare affetto (to exhibit affection) · fi pokkuroida (to seek favour by flattery) · ru ла́ститься (to exhibit affection) · de schmeicheln (to seek favour by flattery) · pl kadzić (to seek favour by flattery) · mi eneene (to seek favour by flattery) · fi mielistellä (to seek favour by flattery) · it scodinzolare (to show devotion or submissiveness)