fain

See also: Fain

English

WOTD – 26 October 2024

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /feɪn/

• Audio (General American):

  (file)

• Homophones: fane, feign, foehn
• Rhymes: -eɪn

Etymology 1

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”).

cognates

• Old Norse fagna (“to rejoice”), feginn (“glad, joyful”)
• Gothic 𐍆𐌰𐌲𐌹𐌽𐍉𐌽 (faginōn, “to rejoice”)
• Old High German fehan, gifehan (“to rejoice”)
• Old Saxon fagan, fagin

Adjective

fain (comparative more fain, superlative most fain) (archaic)

1. (chiefly UK, dialectal, or poetic) Often followed by of: glad, well-pleased.
   • 1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene v], page 108, column 1:

     VVhat is the truſt or ſtrength of fooliſh man? / They that of late vvere daring vvith their ſcoffes, / Are glad and faine by flight to ſaue themſelues.

   • 1786, Robert Burns, “The Twa Dogs, a Tale”, in Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect. […], 2nd edition, volume I, Edinburgh: […] T[homas] Cadell, […], and William Creech, […], published 1793, →OCLC, page 10:

     The cantie, auld folks, crackin crouſe, / The young ones ranting thro' the houſe— / My heart has been ſae fain to ſee them, / That I for joy hae barkit vvi' them.

   • 1829 May 2, [Walter Scott], chapter IV, in Anne of Geierstein; or, The Maiden of the Mist. […], volume I, Edinburgh:  […] [Ballantyne and Company] for Cadell and Co., […]; London: Simpkin and Marshall, […], →OCLC, page 113:

     [F]ine words to make foolish maidens fain. But do not excuse it; it is your country-fashion, and we know how to treat it as such.

   • 1837, William Wordsworth, “[Memorials of a Tour in Italy.] The Cuckoo and the Nightingale. (From Chaucer.)”, in Poems, Chiefly of Early and Late Years; […] (The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth; VII), London: Edward Moxon, […], published 1842, →OCLC, stanza XXVI, page 155:

     Then mean I, that I should be wonderous fain / That shamefully they one and all were slain, / Whoever against Love mean aught amiss.

   • 1863, [Elizabeth] Gaskell, “A Refractory Pupil”, in Sylvia’s Lovers. […], volume I, London: Smith, Elder and Co., […], →OCLC, page 195:

     [M]y master is quite fain of his company.

   • 1871–1873 (date written), Dante Gabriel Rossetti, “A Death-parting”, in Ballads and Sonnets, London: Ellis and White, […], published 1881, →OCLC, stanza 3, page 287, lines 11–15:

     O love, of my death my life is fain, / (The willows wave on the water-way,) / Your cheek and mine are cold in the rain, / But warm they'll be when we meet again. / (With a wind blown night and day.)

   • 1877, William Morris, “Of the Dream of Gudrun the Daughter of Giuki”, in The Story of Sigurd the Volsung and the Fall of the Niblungs, London: Ellis and White, […], →OCLC, book III (Brynhild), page 176:

     And fain and full was my heart, and I took him to my breast, / And I cherished him soft and warm, for I deemed I had gotten the best.

   • 1892 August, Ernest Dowson, “To One in Bedlam”, in W[illiam] H[enry] Wilkins, Hubert Crackanthorpe, editors, The Albemarle: A Monthly Review, volume II, number 2, London: Swan Sonnenschein & Co., →OCLC, stanza 3, page 67, lines 9–10:

     O lamentable brother! if those pity thee, / Am I not fain of all thy lone eyes promise me; / Half a fool's kingdom, far from men who sow and reap, / All their days vanity?

   1. Glad, contented, or satisfied to do something in the absence of a better alternative.
      • 1559, John Strype, quoting John Feckenham, “[An Appendix; being a Repository of Faithful Extracts out of Various Records and Registers, […].] Numb[er] IX. The Oration of the Reverend Father in God Mr. Dr. Fecknam, Abbott of Westminster, in the Parliament House, 1559, against the Bill for the Liturgy.”, in Annals of the Reformation and Establishment of Religion, and Other Various Occurrences in the Church of England; […], volume I, London: […] John Wyat, […], published 1709, →OCLC, page 26:

        [T]hey vvere faine to patche uppe the Matter vvith a little piece of Paper clappid over the foreſaid VVordes, […]

      • c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Second Part of Henrie the Fourth, […], quarto edition, London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Andrew Wise, and William Aspley, published 1600, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i], signature C3, recto:

        By this heaunly ground I tread on, I muſt be faine to pavvne both my plate, & the tapeſtry of my dining chambers.

      • 1693, [John Locke], “§89”, in Some Thoughts Concerning Education, London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], →OCLC, page 105:

        [T]he Learned Caſtalio [i.e., Sebastian Castellio] vvas fain to make Trenchers at Baſle to keep himſelf from ſtarving, vvhen his [Michel de Montaigne's] Father vvould have given any Money for ſuch a Tutor for his Son, and Caſtalio have vvillingly embraced ſuch an Imployment upon very reaſonable Terms, but this vvas for vvant of Intelligence.

      • 1882, [Mary Elizabeth Braddon], “‘That Lip and Voice are Mute for Ever’”, in Mount Royal […], volume II, London: John and Robert Maxwell […], →OCLC, page 115:

        Having pledged herself to remain with her aunt to the end, Christbel was fain to make the best of her life at Mount Royal, and in order to do this she must needs keep on good terms with her cousin.

   2. (by extension) Compelled or obliged to.
      • c. 1513 (date written), Thomas More, “The History of King Richard the Thirde (Vnfinished) […]”, in Wyllyam Rastell [i.e., William Rastell], editor, The Workes of Sir Thomas More Knyght, […], London: […] Iohn Cawod, Iohn Waly, and Richarde Tottell, published 30 April 1557, →OCLC, page 58, column 1:

        Penker in his ſermõ [sermon] ſo loſt his voice that he was faine to leaue of [off] & come downe in the middes.

      • 1676, [Matthew Hale], “Of the Knowledge of Christ Crucified”, in Contemplations Moral and Divine. […], London: […] William Godbid, for William Shrowsbury […], and John Leigh […], →OCLC, page 207:

        [I]n this condition, he [Jesus] is fain to bear his burdenſom Croſs tovvards the place of his Execution, John 19. 17. till he vvas able to carry it no longer, but even fainted under it; […]

      • c. 1683 (date written), Thomas Brown [i.e., Thomas Browne], “Tract I. Observations upon Several Plants Mention’d in Scripture.”, in [Thomas Tenison], editor, Certain Miscellany Tracts, London: […] Charles Mearn, […], published 1683, →OCLC, page 7:

        Many Plants are mention'd in Scripture vvhich are not diſtinctly knovvn in our Countries, or under ſuch Names in the Original, as they are fain to be rendred by analogy, or by the name of Vegetables of good affinity unto them, and ſo maintain the textual ſenſe, though in ſome variation from identity.

      • 1685, Henry More, “Three Objections from a Considerate Hand. […]”, in Paralipomena Prophetica Containing Several Supplements and Defences of Dr Henry More His Expositions of the Prophet Daniel and the Apocalypse, […], London: […] Walter Kettilby […], →OCLC, page 315:

        And the uſe of Fire-Guns in that taking of Conſtantinople is notorious, as you may ſee in Laonicus Chalcocondylas De Rebus Turcicis, one of the Byzantine Hiſtorians, lib. 7. vvho there makes mention of a Cannon of of ſo vaſt a bigneſs, that it vvas fain to be dravvn by ſeventy yoke of Oxen and tvvo thouſand Men.

2. (UK, dialectal) Chiefly followed by to, or (obsolete) for or of: eager or willing, or inclined.

   Synonyms: disposed, keen, lief, raring

   Antonyms: averse, disinclined, loath, reluctant, unwilling

   • 1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i], page 125, column 2:

     Man and Birds are fayne of climbing high.

3. (obsolete, except in fair and fain) Favourable, well-disposed.
   • 1861, Dante Alighieri, “The New Life. (La Vita Nuova.)”, in Dante Gabriel Rossetti, transl., The Early Italian Poets from Ciullo D’Alcamo to Dante Alighieri […], London: Smith, Elder and Co., […], →OCLC, part II (Dante and His Circle), page 275:

     I felt a spirit of love begin to stir / Within my heart, long time unfelt till then; / And saw Love coming towards me, fair and fain, / (That I scarce knew him for his joyful cheer,) / Saying, "Be now indeed my worshipper!".

4. (obsolete) Accustomed, apt, wont.
   • 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book IV, Canto VIII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], part II (books IV–VI), London: […] [Richard Field] for William Ponsonby, →OCLC, stanza 37, page 118:

     [S]carcely ſhe could ryde, / And eke through heauie armes, vvhich ſore annoyd / The Prince on foot, not vvonted ſo to fare; / VVhoſe ſteadie hand vvas faine his ſteede to guyde, / And all the vvay from trotting hard to ſpare, / So vvas his toyle the more, the more that vvas his care.

   • 1651, Jer[emy] Taylor, “Consideration of the General Instruments and Means Serving to a Holy Life: By Way of Introduction”, in The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Francis Ashe […], →OCLC, section I (The First General Instrument of Holy Living: Care of Our Time), pages 6–7:

     [T]o a buſie man temptation is fain to climbe up together vvith his buſineſſes, and ſins creep upon him onely by accidents and occaſions; vvhereas to an idle perſon they come in a full body, and vvith open violence, and the impudence of a reſtleſſe importunity.

Alternative forms

• faine (obsolete, Middle English – 17th c.)

Translations

glad, well-pleased — see glad,‎ well-pleased

glad, contented, or satisfied to do something in the absence of a better alternative

• Bulgarian: доволен (bg) (dovolen)
• Czech: spokojený (cs)
• Dutch: tevreden (nl)
• Finnish: tyytyväinen (fi)
• Galician: please add this translation if you can
• Hungarian: elégedett (hu)
• Macedonian: задоволен (zadovolen)

eager or willing, or inclined — see eager,‎ inclined,‎ willing

Etymology 2

From Middle English fain (“eagerly, willingly; gladly, joyfully”), from fain (adjective): see etymology 1.

Adverb

fain (comparative fainer, superlative fainest) (archaic or obsolete)

1. Chiefly preceded or followed by would.
   1. With joy or pleasure; gladly.
      • 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto IIII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 10, page 48:

        And in her hand ſhe held a mirrhour bright, / VVherein her face ſhe often vevved fayne, / And in her ſelfe-lou'd ſemblance tooke delight; / For ſhe vvas vvondrous faire, as any liuing vvight.

      • 1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, Much Adoe about Nothing. […], quarto edition, London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Andrew Wise, and William Aspley, published 1600, →OCLC, [Act III, scene v], signature F2, verso:

        I vvould faine knovv vvhat you haue to ſay.

      • 1609–1610 (date written), J[ohn] Donne, “[Holy Sonnets] Sonnet X [Batter My Heart, Three-Person’d God]”, in Poems, […] with Elegies on the Authors Death, London: […] M[iles] F[lesher] for Iohn Marriot, […], published 1633, →OCLC, page 38:

        Yet dearely I love you, and vvould be lov'd faine, / But am betroth'd unto your enemie, […]

      • 1709, George Berkeley, “[Section] LXXXVI. The Case of Microscopical Eyes, Consider’d.”, in An Essay towards a New Theory of Vision, Dublin: […] Aaron Rhames, […], for Jeremy [i.e., Jeremiah] Pepyat, […], →OCLC, pages 97–98:

        Hence it's evident, that vvere our Eyes turned into the Nature of Microſcopes, vve […] ſhou'd be derpiv'd of the foremention'd Advantage vve at preſent receive by the Viſive Faculty; and have left us only the empty Amuſement of Seeing, vvithout any other benefit ariſing from it. But in that Caſe, it vvill perhaps be ſaid, our Sight vvou'd be endued vvith a far greater Sharpneſs and Penetration than it novv hath. But I vvou'd fain knovv vvherein conſiſts that Sharpneſs, vvhich is eſteem'd ſo great an Excellency of Sight.

      • 1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], 3rd edition, London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], published 1719, →OCLC, pages 126–127:

        The Second Thing I vvould fain have had, vvas a Tobacco-Pipe, but it vvas impoſſible to me to make one, hovvever I found a Contrivance for that too at laſt.

      • 1831, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XI, in Romance and Reality. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, page 223:

        She who would fain give the starry worlds to the object of her affection—it is a fine and beautiful pride which makes her shrink from aught of benefit from him.

      • 1891, George du Maurier, “Part First”, in Peter Ibbetson […], New York, N.Y.: Harper and Brothers, […], →OCLC, pages 63–64:

        And here, as I write, the faint, scarcely perceptible, ghost-like suspicion of a scent—a mere nostalgic fancy, compound, generic, synthetic and all-embracing—an abstract olfactory symbol of the "Tout Paris" of fifty years ago, comes back to me out of the past; and fain would I inhale it in all its pristine fulness and vigour.

      • 1801, Robert Southey, “The Tenth Book”, in Thalaba the Destroyer, volume II, London: […] [F]or T[homas] N[orton] Longman and O[wen] Rees, […], by Biggs and Cottle, […], →OCLC, page 216:

        A heavy weight is on his lids, / His limbs move slow with heaviness, / And he full fain would sleep.

      • 1877, William Morris, “Of the Dream of Gudrun the Daughter of Giuki”, in The Story of Sigurd the Volsung and the Fall of the Niblungs, London: Ellis and White, […], →OCLC, book III (Brynhild), page 173:

        [S]he taketh her hands in her hands and kisseth her sweet and fain: […]

   2. By choice or will; willingly.

      Synonym: lief

      • 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], page 1, column 2:

        Now vvould I giue a thouſand furlongs of Sea, for an Acre of barren ground: Long heath, Brovvne firrs, any thing; the vvills aboue be done, but I vvould faine dye a dry death.

      • 1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC, page 58:

        For to tell you truth, I love him [Jesus], because I vvas by him eaſed of my burden, and I am vveary of my invvard ſickneſs; I vvould fain be vvhere I ſhall die no more, and vvith the Company that ſhall continually cry Holy, Holy, Holy.

      • 1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, “The Spirit of Life”, in She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC, page 290:

        See now, I will for the second time bathe me in this living bath. Fain would I add to my beauty and my length of days if that be possible.

      • 1923, Anthony Ludovici, “The Positive Man and the Positive Woman”, in Woman; A Vindication, London: Constable & Co., →OCLC:

        As a matter of fact, although Woman means everything to Man’s sexuality, and is the embodiment of all that his reproductive instinct can desire, even when it is at its keenest, Man means very little to Woman. He is, after all, no more than the sparking-plug that sets an elaborate process going, and the brief moment in which his share in her business is accomplished, and the incomplete pleasure it affords her, are ridiculously insignificant when compared with the importance he himself would fain attach to them.

Alternative forms

• faine (obsolete, Middle English – 17th c.)

Translations

with joy or pleasure — see gladly

by choice or will — see willingly

Etymology 3

From Middle English fainen (“to be glad or joyful, rejoice; to make happy, gladden; to welcome; of an animal: to show happiness, as by wagging the tail; to act fawningly or flatteringly”), from Old English fæġnian (“to be glad, rejoice; to celebrate; to be delighted with, applaud; to wish for”), from Proto-West Germanic *faginōn (“to be glad, rejoice; to make glad, gladden”), from Proto-Germanic *faginōną (“to be glad, rejoice”), from *faganaz (“glad”): see further at etymology 1. Doublet of fawn.

Verb

fain (third-person singular simple present fains, present participle faining, simple past and past participle fained)

1. (transitive)
   1. (archaic or obsolete, rare) To be delighted or glad about (someone or something); to rejoice in; also, to favour or prefer (someone or something).
      • 1606, William Warner, “The Sixteenth Booke. Chapter CI.”, in A Continuance of Albions England: […], London: […] Felix Kyngston [and Richard Bradock?] for George Potter, […], →OCLC, page 399:

        Hovv often vvould the Svvaines prepare their Morrice & their May / To haue a ſight of her, vvhen all enamoured vvent their vvay? / The ſprevvſeſt Citie-Lads for her vvould faine the Countrie-aire, / And that their prouder Girles had but adultrate beauties ſvvaire, […]

   2. (obsolete) To make (someone) glad; to gladden; hence, to congratulate (someone); to welcome (someone).
2. (intransitive)
   1. (Germanic paganism) To celebrate or worship; specifically, to offer an oblation which is not a sacrificial blót (“ceremonial offering”).
   2. (obsolete) Chiefly followed by of, in, on, or to: to be delighted or glad; to rejoice.
      • 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book V, Canto XII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], part II (books IV–VI), London: […] [Richard Field] for William Ponsonby, →OCLC, stanza 36, page 351:

        A diſtaffe in her other hand ſhe had, / Vpon the vvhich ſhe litle ſpinnes, but ſpils, / And faynes to vveaue falſe tales and leaſings bad, / To throvv amongſt the good, vvhich others had diſprad.

   3. (obsolete) To desire, to wish.

Conjugation

Conjugation of fain

infinitive	(to) fain
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	fain	fained
2nd-person singular	fain, fainest†	fained, fainedst†
3rd-person singular	fains, faineth†	fained
plural	fain
subjunctive	fain	fained
imperative	fain	—
participles	faining	fained

^†Archaic or obsolete.

Alternative forms

• faine (obsolete, Middle English – 17th c.)

Translations

to be delighted or glad about (someone or something) — see rejoice

to favour or prefer (someone or something) — see favor,‎ prefer

(Germanic paganism) to celebrate or worship; to offer an oblation which is not a sacrificial blót — see also celebrate,‎ worship

• Finnish: juhlia (fi)
• Galician: please add this translation if you can

Further reading

• “fain”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

Anagrams

• an if, fina, naif, naïf

Dalmatian

Etymology

From Latin fīnis, fīnem.

Noun

fain m

1. end

Middle English

Etymology

From Old English fæġen, from Proto-West Germanic *fagan (“glad”). The adverb is transferred from the adjective.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fɛi̯n/

Adjective

fain

1. happy, joyful
   • 1470–1485 (date produced), Thomas Malory, “Capitulum i”, in [Le Morte Darthur], book XVII, [London: […] by William Caxton], published 31 July 1485, →OCLC; republished as H[einrich] Oskar Sommer, editor, Le Morte Darthur […], London: David Nutt, […], 1889, →OCLC:

     Thus Gawayne and Ector abode to gyder / For syre Ector wold not awey til Gawayne were hole / & the good knyȝt Galahad rode so long tyll he came that nyghte to the Castel of Carboneck / & hit befelle hym thus / that he was benyghted in an hermytage / Soo the good man was fayne whan he sawe he was a knyght erraunt

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

2. eager, willing
3. attractive, enjoyable, pleasing

Alternative forms

• fagen, fane, fawe, fawen, fayn, fayne, fein, feyn, vain, vawe, vayn

Adverb

fain

1. gladly, joyfully
2. willingly, eagerly

Alternative forms

• fayn, faȝe, fawe, fawen, vawe, fene, vain, vayn, vein, veyn, vane, wane

Descendants

• English: fain
• Scots: fain

References

• “fain, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
• “fain, adv.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Norman

Etymology

From Old French foin, from earlier fein, from Latin fēnum, from faenum.

Noun

fain m (uncountable)

1. (Jersey) hay
   • 1903, Edgar MacCulloch, “Proverbs, Weather Sayings, etc.”, in Guernsey Folk Lore‎^[1], page 535:

     Si tu vois le soleil le jour de la Chandeleur, sauve le foin, car tu en auras besoin.

     If you see the sun on Candlemas Day, save your hay for you will want it.

Derived terms

• fagot d'fain (“bundle of hay”)

Old French

Alternative forms

• faim

Etymology

From Latin famēs.

Noun

fain oblique singular, f (nominative singular fain)

1. hunger

Related terms

• famine

Descendants

• French: faim

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from German fein.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fajn/

Adjective

fain m or n (feminine singular faină, masculine plural faini, feminine and neuter plural faine)

1. (Transylvania) cool, fine, of good quality

Declension

		singular				plural
		masculine	neuter	feminine		masculine	neuter	feminine
nominative- accusative	indefinite	fain		faină		faini	faine
	definite	fainul		faina		fainii	fainele
genitive- dative	indefinite	fain		faine		faini	faine
	definite	fainului		fainei		fainelor	fainilor

Romansch

Alternative forms

• fein (Sursilvan)
• fagn (Sutsilvan, Surmiran)

Etymology

From Latin fēnum, from faenum.

Noun

fain m

1. (Rumantsch Grischun, Puter, Vallader) hay

Derived terms

• (Rumantsch Grischun) far fain
• (Puter) fer cul fain
• (Vallader) far cun fain

Related terms

• (Rumantsch Grischun, Sutsilvan) fanar

Siar-Lak

Noun

fain

1. woman

Further reading

• Malcolm Ross, Proto Oceanic and the Austronesian Languages of Western Melanesia, Pacific Linguistics, series C-98 (1988)