
adverb
- gladly; willingly: He fain would accept.
adjective
- content; willing: They were fain to go.
- Archaic. constrained; obliged: He was fain to obey his Lord.
- Archaic. glad; pleased.
- Archaic. desirous; eager.
adverb
- (usually with would) archaic willingly; gladlyshe would fain be dead
adjective
- obsolete
- willing or eager
- compelled
Old English fægen, fagen “glad, cheerful, happy, joyful, rejoicing,” from a common Germanic root (cf. Old Saxon fagan, Old Norse feginn “glad,” Old High German faginon, Gothic faginon “to rejoice”), perhaps from PIE *pek- “to make pretty.” As an adverb, from c.1200.