Word.ws English Dictionary

fain

UK/feɪn/

fain adjective: often followed by of: glad, well-pleased.

Adjective

fain (comparative more fain, superlative most fain)

  1. (UK, archaic, dialectal, poetic) Often followed by of: glad, well-pleased.
    • 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.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]...
    • 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.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...
    1. (UK, archaic, dialectal, poetic) Glad, contented, or satisfied to do something in the absence of a better alternative.
      • [T]hey vvere faine to patche uppe the Matter vvith a little piece of Paper clappid over the foreſaid VVordes, […]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...
      • By this heaunly ground I tread on, I muſt be faine to pavvne both my plate, & the tapeſtry of my dining chambers.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...
    2. (UK, archaic, broadly, dialectal, poetic) Compelled or obliged to.
      • Penker in his ſermõ [sermon] ſo loſt his voice that he was faine to leaue of [off] & come downe in the middes.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...
      • [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; […]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
  2. (UK, archaic, dialectal) Chiefly followed by to, or (obsolete) for or of: eager or willing, or inclined.
    • Man and Birds are fayne of climbing high.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...
    Synonyms:
    disposed, keen, lief, raring
  3. (archaic, obsolete, except in fair and fain) Favourable, well-disposed.
    • 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!".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., […]...
  4. (archaic, obsolete) Accustomed, apt, wont.
    • [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.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
    • [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.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: […]...

Adverb

fain (comparative fainer, superlative fainest)

  1. (archaic, obsolete) With joy or pleasure; gladly.
    • 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.1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto IIII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 10, page 48
    • How faine (like Pilate) would I wash my hands / Of this most greeuous murther.c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and...
  2. (archaic, obsolete) By choice or will; willingly.
    • 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.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...
    • 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.1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC, page 58
    Synonyms:
    lief

Verb

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

  1. (archaic, obsolete, rare, transitive) To be delighted or glad about (someone or something); to rejoice in; also, to favour or prefer (someone or something).
    • 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, […]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
  2. (archaic, obsolete, transitive) To make (someone) glad; to gladden; hence, to congratulate (someone); to welcome (someone).
  3. (Germanic, archaic, intransitive, obsolete) To celebrate or worship; specifically, to offer an oblation which is not a sacrificial blót (“ceremonial offering”).
  4. (archaic, intransitive, obsolete) Chiefly followed by of, in, on, or to: to be delighted or glad; to rejoice.
    • 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.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
  5. (archaic, intransitive, obsolete) To desire, to wish.

Proper noun capitalized: Fain

Fain (plural Fains)

  1. A surname.

fain meaning in Urdu

fain in Urdu

باغ باغ, کیف آور, خرم, خوش, محظوظ, مسرور

Examples of fain in a sentence

  • [F]ine words to make foolish maidens fain.1829 May 2, [Walter Scott], chapter IV, in Anne of Geierstein; or, The Maiden of the Mist. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] [Ballantyne and...
  • Then mean I, that I should be wonderous fain / That shamefully they one and all were slain, / Whoever against Love mean aught amiss.1837, William Wordsworth, “[Memorials of a Tour in Italy.] The Cuckoo and the Nightingale. (From Chaucer.)”, in Poems, Chiefly of Early and...
  • [M]y master is quite fain of his company.1863, [Elizabeth] Gaskell, “A Refractory Pupil”, in Sylvia’s Lovers. […], volume I, London: Smith, Elder and Co., […], →OCLC, page 195:
  • 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.)1871–1873 (date written), Dante Gabriel Rossetti, “A Death-parting”, in Ballads and Sonnets, London: Ellis and White, […], published 1881...

Synonyms of fain

28 more synonymsFewer synonyms

Antonyms

All synonyms and antonyms of fain

Forms of fain

Adjective
comparativemore fain
superlativemost fain
alternative formfaine
Adverb
comparativefainer
superlativefainest
Verb
third-person singular presentfains
present participlefaining
past participlefained
pastfained
second-person singular present (archaic)fainest
second-person singular past (archaic)fainedst
third-person singular present (archaic)faineth
Proper noun
pluralFains

Origin of fain

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

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

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.

Words formed from fain

Words that rhyme with fain

48 more rhymesFewer rhymes

Questions about fain

What does fain mean?
Fain means often followed by of: glad, well-pleased.
What is fain in Urdu?
Fain in Urdu is باغ باغ, کیف آور, خرم. See Fain meaning in Urdu.
How do you use fain in a sentence?
[F]ine words to make foolish maidens fain.
What part of speech is fain?
Fain can be an adjective, an adverb, a verb or a proper noun.
How do you pronounce fain?
Fain is pronounced /feɪn/ (UK).

Words near fain in the dictionary

  1. failureless
  2. failureproof
  3. failures
  4. failures to launch
  5. failures to thrive
  6. fain
  7. fainaigue
  8. fainaigued
  9. fainaiguer
  10. fainaiguers
  11. fainaigues

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: fain (page history and authors); Fain (page history and authors); fain (Urdu Wiktionary) (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: En-us-fain.ogg.

Cite this entry: “fain.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/fain. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.