Fain

5 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  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.


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              Men and birds are fain of climbing high. --Shak.
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              To a busy man, temptation is fainto climb up
              together with his business.           --Jer. Taylor.
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     2. Satisfied; contented; also, constrained. --Shak.
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              The learned Castalio was fain to make trechers at
              Basle to keep himself from starving.  --Locke.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Fain \Fain\, adv.
     With joy; gladly; -- with wold.
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           He would fain have filled his belly with the husks that
           the swine did eat.                       --Luke xv. 16.
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           Fain Would I woo her, yet I dare not.    --Shak.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Fain \Fain\, v. t. & i.
     To be glad; to wish or desire. [Obs.]
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           Whoso fair thing does fain to see.       --Spencer.
     [1913 Webster] Faineance

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [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}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  55 Moby Thesaurus words for "fain":
     aching for, acquiescent, agreeable, alacritous, amenable, ardent,
     bent on, compliant, consenting, content, cooperative, crazy to,
     desirous of, disposed, docile, dying for, dying to, eager,
     enthusiastic, fain of, favorable, favorably disposed,
     favorably inclined, fond of, forward, game, in the mind,
     in the mood, inclined, inclined toward, itching for, keen on,
     leaning toward, mad on, minded, partial to, pliant, predisposed,
     prompt, prone, quick, ready, ready and willing, receptive,
     responsive, set on, spoiling for, tractable, well-disposed,
     well-inclined, wild to, willed, willing, willinghearted, zealous