fawn

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
fawn1

▶noun

• 1 a young deer in its first year.

• 2 a light brown colour.

▶verb (of a deer) produce young.

– origin ME: from OFr. faon, based on L. fetus ‘offspring’; cf. fetus.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
fawn2

▶verb give a servile display of exaggerated flattery or affection.

■ (of a dog) show slavish devotion, especially by rubbing against someone.

– derivatives
fawning adjective,
fawningly adverb.

– origin OE fagnian ‘make or be glad’, of Gmc origin; rel. to fain.