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Flinch vs Fawn - What's the difference?

flinch | fawn | Related terms |

As nouns the difference between flinch and fawn

is that flinch is a reflexive jerking away while fawn is a young deer.

As verbs the difference between flinch and fawn

is that flinch is to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a (usually negative) stimulus while fawn is to give birth to a fawn.

As an adjective fawn is

of the fawn colour.

flinch

English

Noun

(es)
  • A reflexive jerking away.
  • My eye doctor hates the flinch I have every time he tries to get near my eyes.

    Verb

  • To make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a (usually negative) stimulus.
  • * John Locke
  • A child, by a constant course of kindness, may be accustomed to bear very rough usage without flinching or complaining.
  • To dodge (a question), to avoid an unpleasant task or duty
  • To let the foot slip from a ball, when attempting to give a tight croquet.
  • References

    fawn

    English

    (wikipedia fawn)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) faon.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A young deer.
  • A pale brown colour tinted with yellow, like that of a fawn.
  • (obsolete) The young of an animal; a whelp.
  • * Holland
  • [The tigress] after her fawns .

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Of the fawn colour.
  • Derived terms
    * fawn lily

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To give birth to a fawn.
  • Etymology 2

    From (etyl) fawnen, from (etyl) fahnian, fagnian, . See also fain.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To exhibit affection or attempt to please.
  • To seek favour by flattery and obsequious behaviour (with on'' or ''upon ).
  • * Shakespeare
  • You showed your teeth like apes, and fawned like hounds.
  • * Milton
  • Thou with trembling fear, / Or like a fawning parasite, obeyest.
  • * Macaulay
  • courtiers who fawn on a master while they betray him
  • *
  • , title=The Mirror and the Lamp , chapter=2 citation , passage=That the young Mr. Churchills liked—but they did not like him coming round of an evening and drinking weak whisky-and-water while he held forth on railway debentures and corporation loans. Mr. Barrett, however, by fawning and flattery, seemed to be able to make not only Mrs. Churchill but everyone else do what he desired.}}
  • (of a dog) To wag its tail, to show devotion.
  • Synonyms
    * (seek favour by flattery) grovel, wheedle
    Derived terms
    * fawn over

    See also

    *

    References

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