Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Fain"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Fain \Fain\, v. t. & i.
To be glad; to wish or desire. [Obs.]
Whoso fair thing does fain to see. --Spencer.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Fain \Fain\, a. [OE. fain, fagen, AS. f[ae]gen; akin to OS.
fagan, Icel. faginn glad; AS. f[ae]gnian to rejoice, OS.
fagan[=o]n, Icel. fagna, Goth. fagin[=o]n, cf. Goth.
fah[=e]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.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Fain \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.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
fain
adj : having made preparations; "prepared to take risks" [syn: {disposed(p)},
{inclined(p)}, {prepared}]
adv : in a willing manner; "this was gladly agreed to"; "I would
fain do it" [syn: {gladly}, {lief}]
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