Fain
Origin
From Old English fægen, akin to Old Norse feginn ("glad, joyful"), Gothic ð†ðŒ°ðŒ²ðŒ¹ðŒ½ð‰ðŒ½ (faginon, "to rejoice"), Old Norse fagna ("to rejoice")
Webster 1913|fain
. Compare Gothic ð†ðŒ°ðŒ·ðƒ (*fahs, "glad")
fahs and faginon in Gotisches Wörterbuch
.
Full definition of fain
Adjective
fain
- (archaic) Well-pleased; glad; apt; wont; fond; inclined.
- 1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book XVI:So the good man was fayne whan he saw he was a knyght arraunte.
- ShakespeareMen and birds are fain of climbing high.
- Jeremy TaylorTo a busy man, temptation is fain to climb up together with his business.
- unknown date Dante Gabriel Rossetti, A Death-Parting, line 11O love, of my death my life is fain,
- 1900, Ernest Dowson, To One in Bedlam, line 9-10O lamentable brother! if those pity thee,Am I not fain of all thy lone eyes promise me;
- (archaic) Satisfied; contented.
- 2004, W. Ross Winterowd, Searching for Faith: A Skeptic's Journey, Yet dearly I love you, and would be loved fain,
Adverb
fain
- (archaic) With joy; gladly.
- 1599, William Shakespeare, ,LEONATO: I would fain know what you have to say.
- 1633, John Donne, , XIVYet dearly I love you, and would be loved fain,/ But am betroth’d unto your enemy
- 1719, Daniel Defoe, The second thing I fain would have had was a tobacco-pipe, but it was impossible to me to make one…