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Webster 1913 Edition

Fancy

Fan′cy

(făn′sy̆)
,
Noun.
;
pl.
Fancies
(#)
.
[Contr. fr.
fantasy
, OF.
fantasie
,
fantaisie
, F.
fantaisie
, L.
phantasia
, fr. Gr. [GREEK][GREEK][GREEK][GREEK][GREEK][GREEK][GREEK][GREEK] appearance, imagination, the power of perception and presentation in the mind, fr. [GREEK][GREEK][GREEK][GREEK][GREEK][GREEK][GREEK][GREEK] to make visible, to place before one’s mind, fr. [GREEK][GREEK][GREEK][GREEK][GREEK][GREEK][GREEK] to show; akin to [GREEK][GREEK][GREEK][GREEK], [GREEK][GREEK][GREEK], light, Skr.
bhā
to shine. Cf.
Fantasy
,
Fantasia
,
Epiphany
,
Phantom
.]
1.
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.
In the soul
Are many lesser faculties, that serve
Reason as chief. Among these
fancy
next
Her office holds.
Milton.
2.
An image or representation of anything formed in the mind; conception; thought; idea; conceit.
How now, my lord ! why do you keep alone,
Of sorriest
fancies
your companoins making ?
Shakespeare
3.
An opinion or notion formed without much reflection; caprice; whim; impression.
I have always had a
fancy
that learning might be made a play and recreation to children.
Locke.
4.
Inclination; liking, formed by caprice rather than reason;
as, to strike one's
fancy
; hence, the object of inclination or liking.
To fit your fancies to your father's will.
Shakespeare
5.
That which pleases or entertains the taste or caprice without much use or value.
London pride is a pretty
fancy
for borders.
Mortimer.
6.
A sort of love song or light impromptu ballad.
[Obs.]
Shak.
The fancy
,
all of a class who exhibit and cultivate any peculiar taste or fancy; hence, especially, sporting characters taken collectively, or any specific class of them, as jockeys, gamblers, prize fighters, etc.
Syn. – Imagination; conceit; taste; humor; inclination; whim; liking. See
Imagination
.

Fan′cy

,
Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Fancied
,
p. pr. & vb. n.
Fancying
.]
1.
To figure to one's self; to believe or imagine something without proof.
If our search has reached no farther than simile and metaphor, we rather
fancy
than know.
Locke.
2.
To love.
[Obs.]
Shak.

Fan′cy

,
Verb.
T.
1.
To form a conception of; to portray in the mind; to imagine.
He whom I
fancy
, but can ne'er express.
Dryden.
2.
To have a fancy for; to like; to be pleased with, particularly on account of external appearance or manners.
“We fancy not the cardinal.”
Shak.
3.
To believe without sufficient evidence; to imagine (something which is unreal).
He
fancied
he was welcome, because those arounde him were his kinsmen.
Thackeray.

Fan′cy

,
Adj.
1.
Adapted to please the fancy or taste, especially when of high quality or unusually appealing; ornamental;
as,
fancy
goods;
fancy
clothes
.
2.
Extravagant; above real value.
This anxiety never degenerated into a monomania, like that which led his [Frederick the Great's] father to pay
fancy
prices for giants.
Macaulay.
Fancy ball
,
a ball in which porsons appear in fanciful dresses in imitation of the costumes of different persons and nations.
–
Fancy fair
,
a fair at which articles of fancy and ornament are sold, generally for some charitable purpose.
–
Fancy goods
,
fabrics of various colors, patterns, etc., as ribbons, silks, laces, etc., in distinction from those of a simple or plain color or make.
–
Fancy line
(Naut.)
,
a line rove through a block at the jaws of a gaff; – used to haul it down.
–
Fancy roller
(Carding Machine)
,
a clothed cylinder (usually having straight teeth) in front of the doffer.
–
Fancy stocks
,
a species of stocks which afford great opportunity for stock gambling, since they have no intrinsic value, and the fluctuations in their prices are artificial.
–
Fancy store
,
one where articles of fancy and ornament are sold.
–
Fancy woods
,
the more rare and expensive furniture woods, as mahogany, satinwood, rosewood, etc.

Webster 1828 Edition

Fancy

FAN'CY

,
Noun.
[contracted from fantasy, L. phantasia. Gr. from to cause to appear, to seem, to imagine, from to show, to appear, to shine. The primary sense seems to be to open, or to shoot forth.]
1.
The faculty by which the mind forms images or representations of things at pleasure. It is often used as synonymous with imagination; but imagination is rather the power of combining and modifying our conceptions.
2.
An opinion or notion.
I have always had a fancy, that learning might be made a play and recreation to children.
3.
Taste; conception.
The little chapel called the salutation in very neat, and built with a pretty fancy.
4.
Image; conception; thought.
How now, my lord, why do you keep alone;
Of sorriest fancies your companions making?
5.
Inclination; liking. Take that which suits your fancy. How does this strike your fancy?
His fancy lay to traveling.
6.
Love.
Tell me where is fancy bred.
7.
Caprice; humor; whim; as an odd or strange fancy.
True worth shall gain me, that it may be said,
Desert, not fancy, once a woman led.
8.
False notion.
9.
Something that pleases or entertains without real use or value.
London-pride is a pretty fancy for borders.

Definition 2024

fancy

fancy

English

Alternative forms

  • fant’sy, phancie, phancy, phansie, phansy, phant’sy (all obsolete)

Noun

fancy ‎(plural fancies)

  1. The imagination.
    • Milton
      In the soul / Are many lesser faculties, that serve / Reason as chief. Among these fancy next / Her office holds.
    • 1861, Atlantic Monthly
      Rustic females who habitually chew even pitch or spruce-gum are rendered thereby so repulsive that the fancy refuses to pursue the horror farther and imagine it tobacco […]
  2. An image or representation of anything formed in the mind; conception; thought; idea.
    • Shakespeare
      How now, my lord! why do you keep alone, / Of sorriest fancies your companions making?
  3. An opinion or notion formed without much reflection; an impression.
    • John Locke
      I have always had a fancy that learning might be made a play and recreation to children.
  4. A whim.
    I had a fancy to learn to play the flute.
  5. Love or amorous attachment.
    He took a fancy to her.
  6. The object of inclination or liking.
    • Shakespeare
      to fit your fancies to your father's will
  7. Any sport or hobby pursued by a group.
    Trainspotting is the fancy of a special lot.
    the cat fancy
  8. The enthusiasts of such a pursuit.
    He fell out of favor with the boxing fancy after the incident.
    • De Quincey
      a great book sale in London, which had congregated all the fancy
  9. A diamond with a distinctive colour.
  10. That which pleases or entertains the taste or caprice without much use or value.
    • Mortimer
      London pride is a pretty fancy for borders.
  11. (obsolete) A sort of love song or light impromptu ballad.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Shakespeare to this entry?)
  12. In the game of jacks, a style of play involving additional actions (contrasted with plainsies).
    • 1970, Marta Weigle, Follow my fancy: the book of jacks and jack games (page 22)
      When you have mastered plainsies, the regular jack game, and have learned all the rules, you will be ready to use this part of the book. A fancy is a variation of plainsies which usually requires more skill than plainsies does.
    • 2002, Elizabeth Dana Jaffe, Sherry L. Field, Linda D. Labbo, Jacks (page 26)
      When you get good at jacks, try adding a fancy. A fancy is an extra round at the end of a game. It makes the game a little harder. Jack Be Nimble, Around the World, or Black Widow are some fancies.

Derived terms

Translations

Adjective

fancy ‎(comparative fancier, superlative fanciest)

  1. Decorative.
    This is a fancy shawl.
  2. Of a superior grade.
    This box contains bottles of the fancy grade of jelly.
  3. Executed with skill.
    He initiated the game winning play with a fancy, deked saucer pass to the winger.
  4. (colloquial) Unnecessarily complicated.
    I'm not keen on him and his fancy ideas.
  5. (obsolete) Extravagant; above real value.
    • Macaulay
      This anxiety never degenerated into a monomania, like that which led his [Frederick the Great's] father to pay fancy prices for giants.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Translations

Verb

fancy ‎(third-person singular simple present fancies, present participle fancying, simple past and past participle fancied)

  1. (formal) To appreciate without jealousy or greed.
    I fancy your new car, but I like my old one just fine.
  2. (Britain) would like
    I fancy a burger tonight for dinner
    Do you fancy going to town this weekend?
  3. (Britain, informal) To be sexually attracted to.
    I fancy that girl over there.
  4. (dated) To imagine, suppose.
    I fancy you'll want something to drink after your long journey.
    Fancy meeting you here!
    Fancy that! I saw Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy kissing in the garden.
    • John Locke
      If our search has reached no farther than simile and metaphor, we rather fancy than know.
    • Thackeray
      He fancied he was welcome, because those around him were his kinsmen.
    • 1895, H. G. Wells, The Time Machine Chapter X
      I fancied at first the stuff was paraffin wax, and smashed the jar accordingly. But the odor of camphor was unmistakable.
  5. To form a conception of; to portray in the mind; to imagine.
    • Dryden
      he whom I fancy, but can ne'er express
  6. To have a fancy for; to like; to be pleased with, particularly on account of external appearance or manners.
    • Shakespeare
      We fancy not the cardinal.

Synonyms

  • (be sexually attracted to): like (US)
  • (would like to): feel like

Derived terms

Translations

See also

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From English fancy

Adjective

fancy ‎(indeclinable)

  1. fancy

References

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From English fancy

Adjective

fancy ‎(indeclinable)

  1. fancy

References

Etymology

From Middle English, a contraction of fantasy, from Old French fantasie, from Medieval Latin fantasia, from Late Latin phantasia ‎(“an idea, notion, fancy, phantasm”), from Ancient Greek φαντάζω ‎(phantázō, “to render visible”)

Pronunciation

  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈfæn.(t)si/
  • Rhymes: -ænsi

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