unfainadj.
Now archaic and dialect.1839 T. Dick in Whistle-Binkie 2nd Ser. 11 Though o' him the men were a' rede and unfain, The lasses aye leuch when they met him again.1876 F. K. Robinson Gloss. Words Whitby 1881 Macmillan's Mag. 43 234 As she told, The hearers were unfain to hear.
Not glad or delighted; ill-pleased, sorry; reluctant.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > displeasure > [adjective]
loatha1250
unfain1338
ill-liking?a1400
sourc1450
unpleaseda1475
displeasant1485
discontentc1500
discontenteda1513
displeased1581
aggrieved1590
misapaid1614
unrelished1620
injured1634
misliked1641
undelighted1667
uneasya1715
untickled1736
uncharmed1757
disagreeable?c1785
displacent1859
chuffed1960
the mind > will > wish or inclination > unwillingness > [adjective]
argha1000
slowOE
unwillyc1200
sweera1300
unfain1338
loathc1374
dangerousc1386
eschewc1386
squeamous1387
obstinate?a1439
unpresta1500
ill-willing?1520
evil-willing1525
untowards1525
untowarda1530
unwilling1533
strange1548
ill-willed1549
dainty1553
relucting1553
squeamish?1553
nicea1560
loathful1561
coyish1566
coy1576
unhearty1583
costive1594
unready1595
tarrowinga1598
undisposed1597
involuntary1598
backward1600
retrograde1602
unpregnant1604
scrupulous1608
unprone1611
refractory1614
behindhanda1616
nilling1620
backwards1627
shya1628
retractable1632
reluctant1638
loughta1641
tendera1641
unapt1640
uninclinable1640
unbeteaming1642
boggling1645
averse1646
indisposed1646
aversant1657
incomposed1660
disinclined1703
unobliging1707
unconsenting1713
uninclined1729
tenacious1766
disinclinable1769
ill-disposed1771
unaffectioned1788
scruplesomec1800
back-handed1817
sweert1817
tharf1828
backward in coming forward1830
unvoluntary1834
misinclined1837
squeamy1838
balky1847
retractive1869
grudging1874
tharfish1876
unwishful1876
safety first1917
1338 R. Mannyng Chron. (1810) 100 He seged bi þat coste þe kastelle of Tenkere... Þe Courthose was vnfayn, him þenk it a trespas.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 3591 Quen þai it [sc. age] haue þai are vnfayn, And wald ha youthed þan again.
a1450 Le Morte Arth. 2691 They made hem Redy to that Rese, There-fore was fele folke vnfayne.
1535 W. Stewart tr. H. Boethius Bk. Cron. Scotl. (1858) II. 43 Force it wes the Romanis for till fle, And leif the feild, thocht tha war rycht vnfane.
c1540 (?a1400) Destr. Troy 12107 All þe folke were vnfayn, & of fyn will To haue reft hir the rynke.
a1600 (c1515) Flodden Field (Harl. 367) l. 58 in I. F. Baird Poems Stanley Family (D.Phil. thesis, Univ. of Birm.) (1990) 252 Yf Lancashire and Cheshire bene fled and gon, Of those tythandes we may be unfayne.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1921; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1338