Question

what is the meaning of fawning publican ​

Answer 1

Answer:

He is like "a fawning publican" a grovelling tax collector. Although a publican is traditionally someone who owns a bar or a tavern as it would have been called in those days, in ancient times a publican was the hated and much-aligned collector of taxes so Shylock is comparing Antonio to that.

Answer 2

He is like "a fawning publican" a grovelling tax collector. Although a publican is traditionally someone who owns a bar or a tavern as it would have been called in those days, in ancient times a publican was the hated and much-aligned collector of taxes so Shylock is comparing Antonio to that.