fancy
/ˈfæn.si/ noun, adjective, adverb, verb, proper noun
Forms fancies fancier fanciest fancying fancied Fancys fancie fansie phancie phancy Yancy Yancey Yantcy Yantzy Wauncy Wauncey
- noun The imagination.
- noun An image or representation of anything formed in the mind.
- noun An opinion or notion formed without much reflection.
- noun A whim. “I had a fancy to learn to play the flute.”
- noun Love or amorous attachment.
- noun Liking. “He took a fancy to the goods in the window.”
- noun The object of inclination or liking.
- noun Any sport or hobby pursued by a group. “Trainspotting is the fancy of a special lot.”
- adjective Decorative, or featuring decorations, especially intricate or diverse ones. “This is a fancy shawl.”
- adjective Of a superior grade. “This box contains bottles of the fancy grade of jelly.”
- adjective Executed with skill. “He initiated the game-winning play with a fancy deked saucer pass to the winger.”
- adjective (colloquial) Unnecessarily complicated. “I'm not keen on him and his fancy ideas.”
- adjective (obsolete) Extravagant; above real value.
- adverb (nonstandard) In a fancy manner; fancily.
- verb (formal) To appreciate without jealousy or greed. “I fancy your new car, but I like my old one just fine.”
- verb (UK) Would like; have a desire for. “I fancy a burger tonight for dinner.”
- verb (UK, informal) To be sexually, aesthetically or romantically attracted to. “I fancy that girl over there.”
- verb (dated or in a set phrase) To imagine, suppose. “[dated] I fancy you'll want something to drink after your long journey.”
- verb To form a conception of; to portray in the mind.
- verb To have a fancy for; to like; to be pleased with, particularly on account of external appearance or manners.
Synonyms
conception thought idea impression boutade caprice capriccio conceit crotchet delirament fangle figary flisk freak kink lark maggot megrim spleen toy illusion fantasy phantasy fondness partiality visualize visualise envision project see
Antonyms
Etymology
From Middle English fansy, fantsy, a contraction of fantasy, fantasye, fantasie, from Old French fantasie, from Medieval Latin fantasia, from Late Latin phantasia (“an idea, notion, fancy, phantasm”), from Ancient Greek φαντασία (phantasía), from φαντάζω (phantázō, “to render visible”), from φαντός (phantós, “visible”), from φαίνω (phaínō, “to make visible”); from the same root as φάος (pháos, “light”); ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰh₂nyéti, from the root *bʰeh₂- (“to shine”). Doublet of fantasia, fantasy, phantasia, and phantasy.
From Middle English fancien, fantasien, fantesien, from Old French fantasier, from the noun (see above)).
From Old English.
Webster’s 1913
- noun The faculty by which the mind forms an image or a representation of anything perceived before; the power of combining and modifying such objects into new pictures or images; the power of readily and happily creating and recalling such objects for the purpose of amusement, wit, or embellishment; imagination.
- noun An image or representation of anything formed in the mind; conception; thought; idea; conceit.
- verb To figure to one's self; to believe or imagine something without proof.
- verb To love. [Obs.] Shak.
Etymology [Contr. fr. fantasy, OF. fantasie, fantaisie, F. fantaisie, L. phantasia, fr. Gr. bhato shine. Cf. Fantasy, Fantasia, Epiphany, Phantom.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “fancy”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details