Wiktionary

fain

See also: Fain

English

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WOTD – 26 October 2024

Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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From Middle English fain (“enjoyable, pleasing; fond of; glad, pleased; good, suitable; happy, joyful”),[1] from Old English fægen (“happy, joyful, fain”),[2] from Proto-West Germanic *fagan (“glad”), from Proto-Germanic *faganaz (“glad”), from Proto-Indo-European *peḱ- (“joyful; pretty”).

cognates

Adjective

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

  1. (chiefly UK, dialectal, or poetic) Often followed by of: glad, well-pleased.
    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
  3. (obsolete, except in fair and fain) Favourable, well-disposed.
  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
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  • faine (obsolete, Middle English – 17th c.)
Translations
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Etymology 2

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From Middle English fain (“eagerly, willingly; gladly, joyfully”),[3] from fain (adjective):[2] see etymology 1.

Adverb

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

  1. Chiefly preceded or followed by would.
    1. With joy or pleasure; gladly.
    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
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  • faine (obsolete, Middle English – 17th c.)
Translations
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Etymology 3

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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”),[4] from Old English fæġnian (“to be glad, rejoice; to celebrate; to be delighted with, applaud; to wish for”),[5] 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

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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.
    3. (obsolete) To desire, to wish.
Conjugation
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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
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  • faine (obsolete, Middle English – 17th c.)
Translations
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References

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  1. ^ “fain, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 “fain, adj. and adv.”, in OED Online  ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, July 2024; “fain, adj. and adv.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
  3. ^ “fain, adv.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
  4. ^ “fainen, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
  5. ^ “† fain, v.1”, in OED Online  ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, June 2024.

Further reading

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Anagrams

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Dalmatian

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Etymology

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From Latin fīnis, fīnem.

Noun

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fain m

  1. end

Middle English

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Etymology

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

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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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

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Adverb

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fain

  1. gladly, joyfully
  2. willingly, eagerly

Alternative forms

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Descendants

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  • English: fain
  • Scots: fain

References

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Norman

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Etymology

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

Noun

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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

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Old French

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Latin famēs.

Noun

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fain oblique singular, f (nominative singular fain)

  1. hunger
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Descendants

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Romanian

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Etymology

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Borrowed from German fein.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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

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

Declension

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Declension of fain
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

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Latin fēnum, from faenum.

Noun

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fain m

  1. (Rumantsch Grischun, Puter, Vallader) hay

Derived terms

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  • (Rumantsch Grischun, Sutsilvan) fanar

Siar-Lak

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Noun

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fain

  1. woman

Further reading

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