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# fain

adverb (old use, mostly in 'would fain')

«fain» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition and Early Modern English — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

Fain means gladly or willingly; «would fain» means would like very much to. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fain/#m1)

### In the lessons

in fairy tales, a hero says «I would fain» to mean «I would very much like to»

### Examples

- I would fain see the king's son. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fain/#x1)
- She would fain go home. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fain/#x2)
- I would fain sleep now. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fain/#x3)

### Note

nothing for maths

## In Jewish tradition

An old word meaning gladly or willingly; here "would fain flee" means would eagerly like to escape. In the primary lessons: in fairy tales, a hero says «I would fain» to mean «I would very much like to»

### Examples

- Yea, it hurleth at him, and spareth not; he would fain flee from its power. (Writings JOB.27.22, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/F/fain/#x1)

### Note

nothing for maths

## Early Modern English

### Meaning

gladly or willingly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/F/fain/#m1)

### Then and now

No longer used except in 'would fain'; today we say gladly or would like to very much.

### Examples

- I'd fain see him to have a turn with him." (More English Fairy Tales) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/F/fain/#x1)
- ‘I would fain get a sight of the king’s son before he marries,’ sighed she. (The Lilac Fairy Book) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/F/fain/#x2)
- ‘I am weary,’ said Arthur, ‘and till my food is prepared I would fain sleep. (The Lilac Fairy Book) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/F/fain/#x3)

### Note

Today: gladly.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «fain» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fain/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«fain» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/fain.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «fain» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/F/fain/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«fain» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/fain.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «fain» in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/F/fain/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«fain» in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/emode/w/fain.html) on Mova free.