fawning
へつらう
解説 Definition
fawning は fawn（へつらう、ご機嫌を取る）の現在分詞・動名詞です。相手に気に入られようとして、過度に愛想よくしたりお世辞を言ったりする態度を表します。
Excessively flattering, submissive behavior intended to gain someone’s approval or favor. As a gerund, it names the act or habit of behaving with insincere eagerness toward a powerful, important, or admired person.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
原形 fawn「相手に気に入られようとへつらう」に -ing を付けた形で、綴りを変えず fawning とします。犬が喜んで尾を振り、主人にすり寄るような態度から発達した意味です。fawning toward famous guests、avoid fawning のように、誠実な敬意ではなく過度なお世辞や卑屈な愛想を表すと覚えます。
Start with the verb fawn, meaning to seek favor through exaggerated affection, praise, or submission. Add -ing without changing the spelling: fawn becomes fawning. The image behind the modern sense is behavior like an eager animal showing delight and pressing close to someone. Picture an employee praising a manager so excessively that the manager becomes uncomfortable. Learn common patterns such as fawning toward powerful people, fawning over a celebrity, and avoid fawning. The word is negative: it does not describe sincere respect or ordinary friendliness, but behavior that appears servile or calculated to win approval.
例文
His fawning made the manager uncomfortable.
彼のへつらう態度はマネージャーを不快にさせました。
The article criticized the actor's fawning toward famous guests.
その記事は、有名なゲストに対するその俳優のへつらいを批判しました。
She avoided fawning and spoke to the director in a calm, honest way.
彼女はへつらうことを避け、監督に落ち着いて率直に話しました。
fawning の類義語・関連語
fawning の語源・成り立ち Etymology
fawning は動詞 fawn に接尾辞 -ing が付いた形で、fawn は古英語 fagnian「喜ぶ、うれしがる」に由来します。犬が喜んで尾を振り相手にすり寄る感じから「へつらう」へ意味が伸び、関連語の fain「喜んで」も同じ語源です。
Fawning is formed from the verb fawn plus -ing. This verb comes from Old English fagnian, meaning “to rejoice” or “be glad,” and is historically related to fain. Its meaning developed through displays of eager delight and affectionate behavior, especially behavior compared with that of an animal toward a person. From there, it acquired the negative human sense of showing exaggerated attention, praise, or submission in order to gain favor.
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