Spaniel

Quick meaning: Spaniel is a noun meaning A cringing, fawning person.

Meaning

A cringing, fawning person.

More Meanings

1. (intransitive) To follow loyally or obsequiously, like a spaniel.
2. Any of various small to medium-sized breeds of gun dog having a broad muzzle, long, wavy fur and long ears that hang at the side of the head, bred for flushing and retrieving game.

Example Sentences

Pro[theus].[…]Yet (Spaniel-like) the more ſhe ſpurnes my loue, / The more it growes, and fawneth on her ſtill;

Antony: Do we shake hands.—All come to this!—The hearts / That spaniel'd me at heels, to whom I gave / Their wishes, do discandy, melt their sweets

J. Sedgewick (1840), Timon, but not of Athens, page 200: “Always spanielling at the heels of power, the mitred Dignitaries displayed, from first to last, the most rancorous hostility against her.”

David S. Bell (2000), Presidential Power in Fifth Republic France, →ISBN, page 30: “Hence Duverger's famous question about de Gaulle's first spanielling Prime Minister makes political ('M. Debré, existe-t-il?'), but not constitutional sense.”

Word Forms

• spaniels
• spanieling
• spanielling
• spanieled
• spanielled

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include cocker, spaynel, spannel, springer, pointer, pibble.

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