fawningly
verb (used without object)
1.
to seek notice or favor by servile demeanor: The courtiers fawned over the king.
2.
(of a dog) to behave affectionately.
Origin:
before 1000; Middle English fawnen, Old English fagnian, variant of fægnian to rejoice, make glad, derivative of fægen happy; see fain
before 1000; Middle English fawnen, Old English fagnian, variant of fægnian to rejoice, make glad, derivative of fægen happy; see fain
Related forms
fawn·er, noun
fawn·ing·ly, adverb
fawn·ing·ness, noun
Synonyms
1. toady, truckle, flatter, kowtow.
1. toady, truckle, flatter, kowtow.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To fawningly
00:10
Fawningly
is always a great word to know.
So is doohickey. Does it mean:
| the offspring of a zebra and a donkey. |
| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
fawn1 (fɔːn) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | a young deer of either sex aged under one year |
| 2. | a. a light greyish-brown colour |
| b. (as adjective): a fawn raincoat | |
| 3. | in fawn (of deer) pregnant |
| —vb | |
| 4. | (of deer) to bear (young) |
| [C14: from Old French faon, from Latin fētus offspring; see | |
| 'fawnlike1 | |
| —adj | |
| fawn2 (fɔːn) | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | to seek attention and admiration (from) by cringing and flattering |
| 2. | (of animals, esp dogs) to try to please by a show of extreme friendliness and fondness (towards) |
| [Old English fægnian to be glad, from fægen glad; see | |
| 'fawner2 | |
| —n | |
| 'fawning2 | |
| —adj | |
| 'fawningly2 | |
| —adv | |
| 'fawningness2 | |
| —n | |
| fawn2 (fɔːn) | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | to seek attention and admiration (from) by cringing and flattering |
| 2. | (of animals, esp dogs) to try to please by a show of extreme friendliness and fondness (towards) |
| [Old English fægnian to be glad, from fægen glad; see | |
| 'fawner2 | |
| —n | |
| 'fawning2 | |
| —adj | |
| 'fawningly2 | |
| —adv | |
| 'fawningness2 | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
fawn
1274, from O.Fr. faon "young animal," from V.L. *fetonem, acc. of *feto, from L. fetus "an offspring" (see fetus). Still used of the young of any animal in King James I's private translation of the Psalms, but mainly of deer from 15c. Color use is 1881.
fawn
O.E. fagnian "rejoice," from fægen "glad" (see fain); used in M.E. to refer to expressions of delight, especially a dog wagging its tail, hence "act slavishly" (early 14c.). Related: Fawned; fawning.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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