Fain (?), a. [OE. fain, fagen, AS. faegen; akin to OS. fagan, Icel. faginn glad; AS. faegnian to rejoice, OS. fagan&omac;n, Icel. fagna, Goth. fagin&omac;n, cf. Goth. fah&emac;ds joy; and fr. the same root as E. fair. Srr Fair, a., and cf. Fawn to court favor.]

1.

Well-pleased; glad; apt; wont; fond; inclined.

Men and birds are fain of climbing high. Shak.

To a busy man, temptation is fainto climb up together with his business. Jer. Taylor.

2.

Satisfied; contented; also, constrained.

Shak.

The learned Castalio was fain to make trechers at Basle to keep himself from starving. Locke.

 

© Webster 1913.


Fain, adv.

With joy; gladly; -- with wold.

He would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat. Luke xv. 16.

Fain Would I woo her, yet I dare not. Shak.

 

© Webster 1913.


Fain, v. t. & i.

To be glad ; to wish or desire.

[Obs.]

Whoso fair thing does fain to see. Spencer.

 

© Webster 1913.

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