fain

== English == === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA(key): /feɪn/ Homophones: fane, feign, foehn Rhymes: -eɪn === Etymology 1 === 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”). ==== Adjective ==== fain (comparative more fain, superlative most fain) (archaic) (chiefly UK, dialectal, or poetic) Often followed by of: glad, well-pleased. Glad, contented, or satisfied to do something in the absence of a better alternative. (by extension) Compelled or obliged to. (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 (obsolete, except in fair and fain) Favourable, well-disposed. (obsolete) Accustomed, apt, wont. ===== Alternative forms ===== faine (obsolete, Middle English – 17th c.) ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 2 === From Middle English fain (“eagerly, willingly; gladly, joyfully”), from fain (adjective): see etymology 1. ==== Adverb ==== fain (comparative fainer, superlative fainest) (archaic or obsolete) Chiefly preceded or followed by would. With joy or pleasure; gladly. By choice or will; willingly. Synonym: lief ===== Alternative forms ===== faine (obsolete, Middle English – 17th c.) ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 3 === 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. ==== Verb ==== fain (third-person singular simple present fains, present participle faining, simple past and past participle fained) (transitive) (archaic or obsolete, rare) To be delighted or glad about (someone or something); to rejoice in; also, to favour or prefer (someone or something). (obsolete) To make (someone) glad; to gladden; hence, to congratulate (someone); to welcome (someone). Synonyms: delight, perk up; see also Thesaurus:gladden (intransitive) (Germanic paganism) To celebrate or worship; specifically, to offer an oblation which is not a sacrificial blót (“ceremonial offering”). (obsolete) Chiefly followed by of, in, on, or to: to be delighted or glad; to rejoice. (obsolete) To desire, to wish. ===== Conjugation ===== ===== Alternative forms ===== faine (obsolete, Middle English – 17th c.) ===== Translations ===== === References === === Further reading === “fain”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC. === Anagrams === an if, fina, naif, naïf == Dalmatian == === Etymology === From Latin fīnis, fīnem. === Noun === fain m end == Middle English == === Etymology === From Old English fæġen, from Proto-West Germanic *fagan (“glad”). The adverb is transferred from the adjective. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /fæi̯n/ === Adjective === fain happy, joyful eager, willing attractive, enjoyable, pleasing ==== Alternative forms ==== fagen, fane, fawe, fawen, fayn, fayne, fein, feyn, vain, vawe, vayn === Adverb === fain gladly, joyfully willingly, eagerly ==== Alternative forms ==== fayn, faȝe, fawe, fawen, vawe, fene, vain, vayn, vein, veyn, vane, wane === Descendants === English: fain Scots: fain === References === “fain, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007. “fain, adv.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007. == Norman == === Etymology === From Old French foin, from earlier fein, from Latin fēnum, from faenum. === Noun === fain m (uncountable) (Jersey) hay ==== Derived terms ==== fagot d'fain (“bundle of hay”) == Old French == === Alternative forms === faim === Etymology === From Latin famēs. === Noun === fain oblique singular, f (nominative singular fain) hunger ==== Related terms ==== famine ==== Descendants ==== French: faim == Romanian == === Etymology === Borrowed from German fein. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /fajn/ === Adjective === fain m or n (feminine singular faină, masculine plural faini, feminine/neuter plural faine) (Transylvania) cool, fine, of good quality ==== Declension ==== == Romansh == === Alternative forms === fein (Sursilvan) fagn (Sutsilvan, Surmiran) === Etymology === From Latin fēnum, from faenum. === Noun === fain m (Rumantsch Grischun, Puter, Vallader) hay ==== Derived terms ==== (Rumantsch Grischun) far fain (Puter) fer cul fain (Vallader) far cun fain ==== Related terms ==== (Rumantsch Grischun, Sutsilvan) fanar == Siar-Lak == === Noun === fain woman === Further reading === Malcolm Ross, Proto Oceanic and the Austronesian Languages of Western Melanesia, Pacific Linguistics, series C-98 (1988)