Fawner

fawn ¹  (fôn)

intr.v. fawned, fawn·ing, fawns

1. To exhibit affection or attempt to please, as a dog does by wagging its tail, whining, or cringing.

2. To seek favor or attention by flattery and obsequious behavior.

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[Middle English faunen, from Old English fagnian, to rejoice, from fagen, fægen, glad.]

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fawner n.

fawning·ly adv.

Synonyms: fawn¹, apple-polish, bootlick, kowtow, slaver¹, toady, truckle
These verbs mean to curry favor by behaving obsequiously and submissively: fawned on her superior; students apple-polishing the teacher; bootlicked to get a promotion; lawyers kowtowing to a judge; slavered over his rich uncle; toadying to members of the club; nobles truckling to the king.

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fawn ²  (fôn)

n.

1. A young deer, especially one less than a year old.

2. A grayish yellow-brown to moderate reddish brown.

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[Middle English, from Old French foun, faon, feon, young animal, from Vulgar Latin *ft, *ftn-, from Latin ftus, offspring; see dh(i)- in Indo-European roots.]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

fawner - someone who humbles himself as a sign of respect; who behaves as if he had no self-respect apple polisher, bootlicker, groveler, groveller, truckler ass-kisser, crawler, sycophant, toady, lackey - a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage