Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Fain
Fain
,Adj.
1.
Well-pleased; glad; apt; wont; fond; inclined.
Men and birds are
fain
of climbing high. Shakespeare
To a busy man, temptation is
fain
to 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. Shakespeare
Fain
,Verb.
T.
& I.
To be glad ; to wish or desire.
[Obs.]
Whoso fair thing does
fain
to see. Spencer.
Webster 1828 Edition
Fain
FAIN
, a.1.
Glad; pleased; rejoiced. but the appropriate sense of the word is, glad or pleased to do something under some kind of necessity; that is, glad to evade evil or secure good. Thus, says Locke, 'The learned Castalio was fain to make trenches at Basil, to keep himself from starving.' this appropriation of the word, which is modern, led Dr. Johnson into a mistake in defining the word. The proper signification is glad, joyful.FAIN
,adv.
He would fain flee out of his hand. Job 28.
He would fain have filled his belly with husks. Luke 15.
FAIN
,Verb.
I.