Definition

1. Noun:

   • A young deer: A fawn is a deer in its first year of life.
   • A light yellowish-brown color: Fawn is a pale, warm brown color, similar to the coat of a young deer.

2. Verb:

   • To give birth to a fawn: Used for a deer giving birth.
   • To show affection or seek attention in a servile way: To behave in an excessively flattering or submissive manner towards someone to gain favor. This often involves physical gestures of submission.
   • To show fear or submission through behavior: To act in a cowering or timid way.

Usage Examples

• Noun (young deer):
  • We saw a spotted fawn hiding in the tall grass.
  • The doe was protective of her fawn.
• Noun (color):
  • She painted the walls a soft fawn.
  • He wore a fawn-colored sweater.
• Verb (of deer):
  • The deer will fawn in the spring.
• Verb (to flatter servilely):
  • The assistant would fawn over the boss, hoping for a promotion.
  • He fawned on the wealthy guests, offering them drinks before they asked.
• Verb (to show submission/fear):
  • The dog would fawn at its owner's feet after misbehaving.

Advanced Usage

• "to fawn over/on/upon someone": This is the most common construction for the verb meaning to flatter or show excessive affection. The prepositions "over," "on," and "upon" are used interchangeably.
  • The fans fawned over the celebrity, asking for autographs.
  • Politicians often have aides who fawn on them.

Variants and Related Words

• Fawning (adjective): Behaving in a flattering, servile manner.
  • His fawning compliments made everyone uncomfortable.
• Fawner (noun): A person who fawns.
  • He was known as a shameless fawner in the office.

Synonyms

• Noun (young deer): Calf (for other animals like elk), yearling.
• Verb (to flatter): Kowtow, grovel, toady, flatter obsequiously, suck up (informal), brown-nose (vulgar slang).
• Verb (to show submission): Cower, cringe.

Related Phrasal Verbs/Constructions

• Fawn over: To give excessive, flattering attention to someone or something.
  • She fawns over her new puppy.
• Fawn on/upon: (Same meaning as "fawn over") To act servilely towards someone.
  • The courtiers fawned upon the king.

Related Idioms

• None directly using the word "fawn" as a key component. However, the behavior described by the verb is central to idioms like "to bow and scrape" (to behave in a servile way) or "to kiss up to someone" (to flatter someone to gain favor).

Noun

1. a young deer
2. a color or pigment varying around a light grey-brown color
   • she wore dun

Verb

1. have fawns
   • deer fawn
2. try to gain favor by cringing or flattering
   • He is always kowtowing to his boss
3. show submission or fear