fain

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Contents

English [edit]

Etymology [edit]

From Old English fægen, akin to Old Norse feginn (glad, joyful), Gothic 𐍆𐌰𐌲𐌹𐌽𐍉𐌽 (faginon, to rejoice), Old Norse fagna (to rejoice)[1]. Compare Gothic 𐍆𐌰𐌷𐍃 (*fahs, glad)[2].

Pronunciation [edit]

Adjective [edit]

fain (comparative more fain, superlative most fain)

  1. (archaic) Well-pleased; glad; apt; wont; fond; inclined.
    • 1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book XVI:
      So the good man was fayne whan he saw he was a knyght arraunte.
    • (Can we date this quote?) Dante Gabriel Rossetti, A Death-Parting, line 11
      O love, of my death my life is fain,
    • 1900, Ernest Dowson, To One in Bedlam, line 9-10
      O lamentable brother! if those pity thee,
      Am I not fain of all thy lone eyes promise me;
  2. (archaic) Satisfied; contented.
    • 2004, W. Ross Winterowd quoting John Donne, Holy Sonnet XIV, Searching for Faith: A Skeptic's Journey[1], Parlor Press, ISBN 9781932559309, page 29:
      Yet dearly I love you, and would be loved fain,

Translations [edit]

Adverb [edit]

fain (comparative more fain, superlative most fain)

  1. (archaic) With joy; gladly.

Translations [edit]

Verb [edit]

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

  1. (archaic) To be delighted or glad; to rejoice
  2. (archaic) To gladden

Translations [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ fain in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
  2. ^ fahs and faginon in Köbler's Gotisches Wörterbuch

Anagrams [edit]


Dalmatian [edit]

Etymology [edit]

From Latin fīnis, fīnem.

Noun [edit]

fain m

  1. end

Jèrriais [edit]

Etymology [edit]

From Old French foin, fein, from Latin faenum.

Noun [edit]

fain m (usually uncountable)

  1. hay

Derived terms [edit]


Old French [edit]

Etymology [edit]

Latin fames

Noun [edit]

fain f (nominative singular fain)

  1. hunger

Descendants [edit]


Romanian [edit]

Etymology [edit]

From German fein.

Pronunciation [edit]

Adjective [edit]

fain 4 nom/acc forms

  1. cool, fine, of good quality

Declension [edit]


Romansch [edit]

Alternative forms [edit]

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

Etymology [edit]

From Latin faenum.

Noun [edit]

fain m

  1. (Rumantsch Grischun, Puter, Vallader) hay

Derived terms [edit]

Related terms [edit]

  • (Rumantsch Grischun, Sutsilvan) fanar