fawning

Meanings

• adjective, noun, verb

  Acting in a servile and excessively flattering manner towards someone.

  - "His fawning behavior towards the boss was not appreciated."
  - "The fawning courtier flattered the queen excessively."
  - "She gave a fawning speech at the awards ceremony."

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Synonyms

grovel , soft-soap , toady , wheedle

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Rhymes

Words rhyming with fawning
prowling , mowing , showing , owing

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Variants

List of all variants of fawning that leads to same result
fawning , fawningly , fawn , fawned , fawner , fawners , fawns

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Etymology

origin and the way in which meanings have changed throughout history.

From the Middle English word 'fawnen', meaning 'to act like a fawn (young deer) towards someone, to be overly obsequious or submissive'.

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Trivia

Any details, considerations, events or pieces of information regarding the word

1. The term 'fawning' is sometimes used to describe the behavior of baby animals, especially deer, towards their mothers.

2. In ancient Greece, sycophants were hired to bring false accusations against people, and their behavior was considered a form of fawning.

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Related Concepts

informations on related concepts or terms closely associated with the word. Discuss semantic fields or domains that the word belongs to

1. Sycophant: A person who acts obsequiously towards someone in order to gain favor or approval.

2. Flattery: An excessive and insincere expression of praise or admiration, intended to win favor or approval.

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Culture

Any cultural, historical, or symbolic significance of the word. Explore how the word has been used in literature, art, music, or other forms of expression.

Fawning behavior has been depicted in literature and art throughout history, often portraying it as a negative trait. In Shakespeare's 'Othello', Iago manipulates Othello into believing his wife Desdemona is unfaithful through fawning flattery. In modern times, fawning has been associated with sycophantic behavior and insincere flattery.

How to Memorize "fawning"

1. visualize
   

   - Visualize a young deer (fawn) bowing its head and licking the hand of someone, demonstrating servile and excessive flattery.

2. associate
   

   - Associate the word 'fawning' with the image of a servile courtier or sycophant, excessively flattering someone to gain favor.

3. mnemonics
   

   - Create a mnemonic by remembering the phrase 'Fawning Animals Act Servilely Towards Humans' to help remember the meaning of the word.

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