Fancy

Fancy
Fancy Fan"cy (f[a^]n"s[y^]), n.; pl. {Fancies}. [Contr. fr. fantasy, OF. fantasie, fantaisie, F. fantaisie, L. phantasia, fr. Gr. ???????? appearance, imagination, the power of perception and presentation in the mind, fr. ???????? to make visible, to place before one's mind, fr. ??????? to show; akin to ????, ???, light, Skr. bh[=a]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. [1913 Webster]

In the soul Are many lesser faculties, that serve Reason as chief. Among these fancy next Her office holds. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

2. An image or representation of anything formed in the mind; conception; thought; idea; conceit. [1913 Webster]

How now, my lord ! why do you keep alone, Of sorriest fancies your companoins making ? --Shak. [1913 Webster]

3. An opinion or notion formed without much reflection; caprice; whim; impression. [1913 Webster]

I have always had a fancy that learning might be made a play and recreation to children. --Locke. [1913 Webster]

4. Inclination; liking, formed by caprice rather than reason; as, to strike one's fancy; hence, the object of inclination or liking. [1913 Webster]

To fit your fancies to your father's will. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

5. That which pleases or entertains the taste or caprice without much use or value. [1913 Webster]

London pride is a pretty fancy for borders. --Mortimer. [1913 Webster]

6. A sort of love song or light impromptu ballad. [Obs.] --Shak. [1913 Webster]

{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. [1913 Webster]

At a great book sale in London, which had congregated all the fancy. --De Quincey.

Syn: Imagination; conceit; taste; humor; inclination; whim; liking. See {Imagination}. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Fancy — Manfred Alois Segieth (1988) Fancy bei einem Disco Auftritt (1988) Fancy (* 7. Juli …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Fancy — Fan cy, a. 1. Adapted to please the fancy or taste, especially when of high quality or unusually appealing; ornamental; as, fancy goods; fancy clothes. [1913 Webster] 2. Extravagant; above real value. [1913 Webster] This anxiety never degenerated …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • fancy — [fan′sē] n. pl. fancies [ME fantsy, contr. < fantasie: see FANTASY] 1. imagination, now esp. light, playful, or whimsical imagination 2. illusion or delusion 3. a mental image 4. an arbitrary idea; notion; caprice; whim 5. an …   English World dictionary

  • fancy — n 1 Caprice, freak, whim, whimsy, conceit, vagary, crotchet 2 imagination, fantasy Antonyms: experience 3 Fancy, fantasy, phantasy, phantasm, vision, dream, daydream, nightmare are comparable when they denote a vivid idea or image, or a series of …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • fancy — ► VERB (fancies, fancied) 1) Brit. informal feel a desire for. 2) Brit. informal find sexually attractive. 3) regard as a likely winner. 4) imagine. 5) used to express surprise: fancy that! …   English terms dictionary

  • fancy — [adj] extravagant, ornamental adorned, baroque, beautifying, chichi*, complicated, cushy, custom, decorated, decorative, deluxe, elaborate, elegant, embellished, fanciful, florid, frilly, froufrou*, garnished, gaudy, gingerbread*, intricate,… …   New thesaurus

  • Fancy — Fan cy, v. t. 1. To form a conception of; to portray in the mind; to imagine. [1913 Webster] He whom I fancy, but can ne er express. Dryden. [1913 Webster] 2. To have a fancy for; to like; to be pleased with, particularly on account of external… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Fancy —   [ fænsɪ; englisch, eigentlich »Fantasie«],    1) die, / s, Musik: Fantasy [ fæntəsɪ], die der Geschichte der musikalischen Fantasie zugehörige Hauptform der englischen Kammermusik von etwa 1575 bis 1680. Sie entwickelte sich aus dem… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Fancy — (engl., spr. Fänßi), Phantasie, daher Fancy Artikel, Modewaaren, verzierte Schmucksachen. Fancy Fair (spr. Fänßisähr), Ausstellung u. Verkauf von weiblichen Handarbeiten zu milden Zwecken …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Fancy — Fan cy, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Fancied}, p. pr. & vb. n. {Fancying}.] 1. To figure to one s self; to believe or imagine something without proof. [1913 Webster] If our search has reached no farther than simile and metaphor, we rather fancy than know …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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