Fain, v. t. & i. To be glad ; to
wish or desire. [Obs.]
Whoso fair thing does fain to see.
Spencer.Fain (?), a. [OE. fain,
fagen, AS. fægen; akin to OS. fagan, Icel.
faginn glad; AS. fægnian to rejoice, OS.
faganōn, Icel. fagna, Goth. faginōn,
cf. Goth. fahēds 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.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.