fain
1 of 2adjective
ˈfān 
1
a
: willing
he was very fain, for the young widow was "altogether fair and lovely … "
Amy Kelly
Amy Kelly b
: being obliged or constrained : compelled
Great Britain was fain to devote its whole energy … to the business of slaying and being slain G. M. Trevelyan
G. M. Trevelyan2
archaic : happy, pleased
3
archaic : inclined, desirous
fain
2 of 2adverb
1
: with pleasure : gladly
a speech of fire that fain would blaze William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare2
a
: by preference
knew it, too, though he would fain not admit it publicly John Lukacs
John Lukacs b
: by desire
I would fain consult you W. S. Gilbert
W. S. Gilbert
Synonyms
Adjective
- amenable
- disposed
- game
- glad
- inclined
- minded
- ready
- willing
Adverb
- first
- preferably
- rather
- readily
- soon
- willingly
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective during the Renaissance most men of science and the arts were fain to express their noblest thoughts in Latin, the lingua franca of the learned Adverb “I would fain not marry that suitor, my lord,” the princess pleaded
Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English fagen, fayn, from Old English fægen; akin to Old English gefēon to rejoice, Old High German gifehan, Old Norse feginn happy
Adverb
Middle English fayn, derivative of fayn fain entry 1
First Known Use
Adjective
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3
Adverb
12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
fain 1 of 2
adjective
as in willing
having a desire or inclination (as for a specified course of action) during the Renaissance most men of science and the arts were fain to express their noblest thoughts in Latin, the lingua franca of the learned Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- willing
- ready
- glad
- inclined
- disposed
- minded
- prepared
- obliging
- game
- amenable
- excited
- eager
- obedient
- agreeable
- prone
- swift
- desirous
- favorable
- enthusiastic
- submissive
- receptive
- cooperative
- responsive
- predisposed
- accommodating
- compliant
- prompt
- quick
- enthused
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unwilling
- reluctant
- loath
- loth
- disinclined
- averse
- reticent
- unamenable
- loathe
fain
2 of 2adverb
as in rather
by choice or preference "I would fain not marry that suitor, my lord," the princess pleaded Synonyms & Similar Words
- rather
- willingly
- preferably
- readily
- soon
- first
- either
- alternatively
- alternately
- instead
- gladly
- voluntarily
- optionally
- wishfully
- desirably
- obligingly
- electively
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- involuntarily
- unwillingly
- reluctantly
- forcibly
- willy-nilly
- tetrachlorides
- tetrachloro
- tetrachloro-
- tetrachloroethane
- tetrachloromethanes
- tetrachord
- tetrachords
- tetrachoric
- tetrachotomous
- tetrachromatic
- tetrachronous
- tetracid
- tetracids
- tetraclines
- tetraclinises
- tetraclinisses
- tetracoccus
- tetracolon
- tetracoral
- Tetracoralla
- tetracoralline
- tetracosane
- tetracosanoic acid
- tetracovalent
- tetract