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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Fain \Fain\, a. [OE. fain, fagen, AS. f[ae]gen; akin to OS.
fagan, Icel. faginn glad; AS. f[ae]gnian to rejoice, OS.
fagan[=o]n, Icel. fagna, Goth. fagin[=o]n, cf. Goth.
fah[=e]ds joy; and fr. the same root as E. fair. Srr {Fair},
a., and cf. {Fawn} to court favor.]
1. Well-pleased; glad; apt; wont; fond; inclined.
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Men and birds are fain of climbing high. --Shak.
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To a busy man, temptation is fainto climb up
together with his business. --Jer. Taylor.
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2. Satisfied; contented; also, constrained. --Shak.
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The learned Castalio was fain to make trechers at
Basle to keep himself from starving. --Locke.
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Fain \Fain\, adv.
With joy; gladly; -- with wold.
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He would fain have filled his belly with the husks that
the swine did eat. --Luke xv. 16.
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Fain Would I woo her, yet I dare not. --Shak.
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Fain \Fain\, v. t. & i.
To be glad; to wish or desire. [Obs.]
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Whoso fair thing does fain to see. --Spencer.
[1913 Webster] Faineance