Fawn
/fɔːn/
Definitions
2 meaningsA young deer, especially one less than a year old.
/fɔːn/
A young deer.
The fawn, with its spotted coat, followed its mother through the woods.
💡 Simply: Imagine a baby deer, all spots and wobbly legs! That's a fawn.
👶 For kids: A baby deer is called a fawn!
More Examples
We watched the fawn drinking water from the stream.
The fawn was very timid and would run off at the slightest sound.
How It's Used
"The mother deer protected her fawn from the approaching wolves."
To try to win favor by flattery; to act obsequiously.
/fɔːn/
To try to win favor by flattery.
The assistant fawned over the boss, agreeing with everything he said.
💡 Simply: Like when a puppy wags its tail and acts super friendly to get a pat on the head, that's fawning. You're being overly nice to get something.
👶 For kids: When you try to be extra nice to someone to get something from them, that's like fawning.
More Examples
She felt uncomfortable when he started fawning on her.
Reporters fawned around the celebrity.
How It's Used
"The intern was caught fawning over the CEO to get a promotion."
"She fawned on the wealthy investor, hoping for funding."
Idioms & expressions
fawn over
To show excessive affection or admiration for someone or something.
"The fans fawned over the pop star after the concert."
From Old French *faon*, from Latin *fetus* meaning "offspring, young".
Used since the late 13th century, initially referring to a young deer. The figurative meaning of acting obsequiously developed later, around the 16th century.
Memory tip
Think of the cute, young deer – a fawn!
Word Origin
"young deer"