Library / English Dictionary

FAWN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A young deer

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("fawn" is a kind of...):

young mammal (any immature mammal)

cervid; deer (distinguished from Bovidae by the male's having solid deciduous antlers)

Derivation:

fawn (have fawns)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A color or pigment varying around a light grey-brown color

Example:

she wore dun

Synonyms:

dun; fawn; grayish brown; greyish brown

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("fawn" is a kind of...):

light brown (a brown that is light but unsaturated)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Have fawns

Example:

deer fawn

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "fawn" is one way to...):

bear; birth; deliver; give birth; have (cause to be born)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

fawn (a young deer)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Try to gain favor by cringing or flattering

Example:

He is always kowtowing to his boss

Synonyms:

bootlick; fawn; kotow; kowtow; suck up; toady; truckle

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "fawn" is one way to...):

blandish; flatter (praise somewhat dishonestly)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fawn"):

court favor; court favour; curry favor; curry favour (seek favor by fawning or flattery)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue fawn

Derivation:

fawner (someone who humbles himself as a sign of respect; who behaves as if he had no self-respect)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Show submission or fear

Synonyms:

cower; crawl; creep; cringe; fawn; grovel

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "fawn" is one way to...):

bend; flex (form a curve)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

fawner (someone who humbles himself as a sign of respect; who behaves as if he had no self-respect)

Credits

 Context examples: 

The Bull Terrier is a thick-set muscular, well-proportioned animal with a short, dense coat that comes in pure white, black, brindle, red, fawn and tri-color.

(Bull Terrier, NCI Thesaurus)

It has a soft, water-resistant coat that comes in red, sable, fawn or black and tan, usually with white markings.

(Pembroke Welsh Corgi, NCI Thesaurus)

The coat comes in red, fawn, brindle, pale yellow or washed-out red, or white, and can combine any of these colors.

(English Bulldog, NCI Thesaurus)

The short coat comes in golden fawn, light fawn, brindle, silver, tiger, and apricot.

(Mastiff, NCI Thesaurus)

The color of the coat indicates the variety: fawn, brindle, black, blue, mantle harlequin and sometimes Merle.

(Great Dane, NCI Thesaurus)

The short coat comes in brindle, fawn, white and combinations of brindle or fawn with white.

(French Bulldog, NCI Thesaurus)

Origin: An outbred stock of fawn hooded rats introduced into Europe by Tschopp in the early 1970s.

(FHH, Rat Strain, NCI Thesaurus)

It has a short, soft coat that comes in black, blue, fawn or brindle, often with white markings.

(English Staffordshire Terrier, NCI Thesaurus)

The German Pinscher, also called the Standard Pinscher, is a medium-sized, tall terrier with a smooth, glossy coat that comes in red fawn, black and tan, and dark brown with yellow markings.

(German Pinscher, NCI Thesaurus)

The short or rough double coat is generally fawn with a black mask.

(Anatolian Shepherd Dog, NCI Thesaurus)