Past tense of 'fawn': to show affection excessively or insincerely, usually to gain favor; or to give birth to a fawn (baby deer).
From Old English 'fagnian,' meaning to rejoice or be glad, evolving to mean showing excessive pleasure or flattery. The double meaning (animal behavior vs. insincere flattery) shows how metaphorical language spreads through a culture.
The word 'fawn' has two completely different meanings that happened to merge—one from the animal (to crouch submissively as young deer do) and one from rejoicing—but English speakers intuitively understand both because context makes them clear.
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