fain

1. (chiefly UK, dialectal, or poetic) Often followed by of: glad, well-pleased.Examples: "VVhat is the truſt or ſtrength of fooliſh man? / They that of late vvere daring vvith their ſcoffes, / Are glad and faine by flight to ſaue themſelues."; "The cantie, auld folks, crackin crouſe, / The young ones ranting thro' the houſe— / My heart has been ſae fain to ſee them, / That I for joy hae barkit vvi' them."; "[F]ine words to make foolish maidens fain. But do not excuse it; it is your country-fashion, and we know how to treat it as such."UKarchaicdialectalpoetic

2. (chiefly UK, dialectal, or poetic) Often followed by of: glad, well-pleased.Examples: "[T]hey vvere faine to patche uppe the Matter vvith a little piece of Paper clappid over the foreſaid VVordes, […]"; "By this heaunly ground I tread on, I muſt be faine to pavvne both my plate, & the tapeſtry of my dining chambers."; "[T]he Learned Caſtalio [i.e., Sebastian Castellio] vvas fain to make Trenchers at Baſle to keep himſelf from ſtarving, vvhen his [Michel de Montaigne's] Father vvould have given any Money for ſuch a Tutor for his Son, and Caſtalio have vvillingly embraced ſuch an Imployment upon very reaſonable Terms, but this vvas for vvant of Intelligence."UKarchaicdialectalpoetic

3. (chiefly UK, dialectal, or poetic) Often followed by of: glad, well-pleased.Examples: "Penker in his ſermõ [sermon] ſo loſt his voice that he was faine to leaue of [off] & come downe in the middes."; "[I]n this condition, he [Jesus] is fain to bear his burdenſom Croſs tovvards the place of his Execution, John 19. 17. till he vvas able to carry it no longer, but even fainted under it; […]"; "Many Plants are mention'd in Scripture vvhich are not diſtinctly knovvn in our Countries, or under ſuch Names in the Original, as they are fain to be rendred by analogy, or by the name of Vegetables of good affinity unto them, and ſo maintain the textual ſenſe, though in ſome variation from identity."UKarchaicbroadlydialectalpoetic

4. (UK, dialectal) Chiefly followed by to, or (obsolete) for or of: eager or willing, or inclined.Examples: "Man and Birds are fayne of climbing high."Synonyms: disposed, keen, lief, raringAntonyms: averse, disinclined, loath, reluctant, unwillingUKarchaicdialectal

5. (obsolete, except in fair and fain) Favourable, well-disposed.Examples: "I felt a spirit of love begin to stir / Within my heart, long time unfelt till then; / And saw Love coming towards me, fair and fain, / (That I scarce knew him for his joyful cheer,) / Saying, "Be now indeed my worshipper!"."archaicobsolete

6. (obsolete) Accustomed, apt, wont.Examples: "[S]carcely ſhe could ryde, / And eke through heauie armes, vvhich ſore annoyd / The Prince on foot, not vvonted ſo to fare; / VVhoſe ſteadie hand vvas faine his ſteede to guyde, / And all the vvay from trotting hard to ſpare, / So vvas his toyle the more, the more that vvas his care."; "[T]o a buſie man temptation is fain to climbe up together vvith his buſineſſes, and ſins creep upon him onely by accidents and occaſions; vvhereas to an idle perſon they come in a full body, and vvith open violence, and the impudence of a reſtleſſe importunity."archaicobsolete