adjective · rare

fain

fain · more fain · most fain

Often followed by of: glad, well-pleasedOften followed by of: glad, well-pleased.

/feɪn/

» As when a wounded bull / shakes from his neck the faltering axe and, fain / to fly the cruel altars, roars in pain.

Meaning

6 senses

(UK, archaic, dialectal, poetic)Often followed by of: glad, well-pleased.
Often followed by of: glad, well-pleased.
(UK, archaic, dialectal, poetic)Glad, contented, or satisfied to do something in the absence of a better alternative.
(UK, archaic, broadly, dialectal, poetic)Compelled or obliged to.
(UK, archaic, dialectal)Chiefly followed by to, or (obsolete) for or of: eager or willing, or inclined.
(archaic, obsolete)Favourable, well-disposed.
(archaic, obsolete)Accustomed, apt, wont.

More definitions

having made preparations

Examples

1 sentences

As when a wounded bull / shakes from his neck the faltering axe and, fain / to fly the cruel altars, roars in pain.
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Origin

From Middle English fain (“enjoyable, pleasing; fond of; glad, pleased; good, suitable; ha

From Middle English fain (“enjoyable, pleasing; fond of; glad, pleased; good, suitable; happy, joyful”), from Old English fægen (“happy, joyful, fain”), from Proto-West Germanic *fagan (“glad”), from Proto-Germanic *faganaz (“glad”), from Proto-Indo-European *peḱ- (“joyful; pretty”).

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