[fain] adj [ME fagen, fayn, fr. OE faegen; akin to ON fegiun happy, OE faeger fair] (bef. 12c) 1 archaic: happy, pleased
2. archaic: inclined, desirous 3 a: willing "he was very ~, for the young widow was "altogether fair and lovely ... " --Amy Kelly" b: being obliged or constrained: compelled "Great Britain was ~ to devote its whole energy ... to the business of slaying and being slain --G. M. Trevelyan"
[2]fain adv (12c) 1: with pleasure: gladly "a speech of fire that ~ would blaze --Michael Billington"
2. a: by preference "knew it, too, though he would ~ not admit it publicly --John Lukacs" b: by desire "I would ~ consult you --W. S. Gilbert"