Fancy word for meaning

Recent Examples on the Web

The controversial ex-lawman fancied himself a super-hero crusader, often using the Batman signal in social media postings that boasted of criminals locked up by the sheriff’s office.


—Leon Stafford, ajc, 22 Mar. 2023




Some people fancy themselves music nerds.


—Hugh Mcintyre, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2023




All of them will fancy their chances.


—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 13 Dec. 2022




Although historians concur that Anne Brontë — and possibly Charlotte — fancied Weightman, there is no evidence that Emily did.


—Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2023




Van Aken doesn’t fancy himself a household name.


—Amy Drew Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2023




And of course, there are the gun manufacturers, firing ranges and shooting instructors that cater to people who don’t fancy themselves hunters, target shooters or conventional home defenders, as most gun owners once did, but as commandos preparing for theoretical war.


—New York Times, 14 July 2021




Trying to fancy it up would be like reassembling a butchered hog and hoping to sell it back to the farm.


—Longreads, 20 Apr. 2022




The Dalí Museum hosts several gardens that wellness travelers and art lovers will fancy.


—Shea Peters, Travel + Leisure, 11 Feb. 2023

Whatever strikes your fancy, Comporta is likely to deliver romantic backdrops in excess.


—Rachel Silva, ELLE Decor, 30 Mar. 2023




No matter what your personal taste and bedroom decor may be, there’s bound to be a version of this comforter that strikes your fancy.


—Rachel Simon, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Jan. 2023




Sitting in a comfy-looking chair in the living room of his Los Angeles home, he’s got cable news running on a TV just out of sight, and sometimes, when a question doesn’t strike his fancy, his answer will carry on, while his eyes dart toward the flickering box.


—William Earl, Variety, 11 Jan. 2023




If none of these dishes strike your fancy, head to our Recipe Finder to search for more ways to use the mighty chickpea.


—Aaron Hutcherson, Washington Post, 9 Jan. 2023




Give their favorite hot sauce a run for its money: Momofuku’s chili crunch adds a zing to all kinds of meals—eat it with eggs, sandwiches, meat, fish, whatever strikes your fancy.


—Corina Quinn, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Dec. 2022




What to order: Minute Steak ($32); fresh pasta of the day ($19); whatever seasonal snacks and small plates strike your fancy.


—The Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors, Bon Appétit, 8 Sep. 2022




Back in 2013, when no group of players struck its fancy at No. 18, the club moved back near the end of the round and came away with center Travis Fredrick and a third round pick that turned into starting receiver Terrance Williams.


—Dallas News, 26 Apr. 2022




This may be more than a flight of fancy, however, as the production EV9 does have swiveling rear seat and something of the sort could make its way into the final version of the EV5 as well.


—Joey Capparella, Car and Driver, 20 Mar. 2023

Many feature fancy equipment like an abs wheel, stability ball, or Pilates ring.


—Women’s Health, 6 Apr. 2023




Vionic is known for its selection of comfy shoes and the Winny sneakers are an excellent option for a nice-looking pair of shoes that aren’t too fancy for traveling.


—Anna Popp, Travel + Leisure, 6 Apr. 2023




No visas, no injections, no fancy clothes, no people to impress.


—Pico Iyer, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2023




While Logan Roy sneaks out to a diner for a meal, his son-in-law Tom—who isn’t quite a Master of the Universe yet—prefers a fancy restaurant in a Manhattan hotel.


—Charlotte Druckman, Town & Country, 27 Mar. 2023




It’s not meant to be fancy—their selections are meant to become part of daily life and actually get used.


—Bryce Jones, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Mar. 2023




An early customer was the late actress Carol Channing, who had peculiar eating habits due to allergies, including bringing her own food to fancy restaurants in her purse.


—Larry Edelman, BostonGlobe.com, 20 Mar. 2023




No fancy equipment required for this one: In the absence of a proper karaoke machine, just grab a toothbrush as a microphone and belt out those tunes.


—Alesandra Dubin, Good Housekeeping, 17 Mar. 2023




And there’s no fancy equipment needed, just a simple HVAC fan coil unit that transfers heat from the air to water circulating in coils that can then be piped to a heat pump.


—IEEE Spectrum, 14 Mar. 2023


See More

English[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

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

Pronunciation[edit]

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

Etymology 1[edit]

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”),^[1] 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.

Noun[edit]

fancy (plural fancies)

1. The imagination.

   • 1667, John Milton, “Book V”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 100-103:

     […] But know that in the soul / Are many lesser faculties, that serve / Reason as chief; among these Fancy next / Her office holds […]

   • 1861, Thomas Wentworth Higginson, “A New Counterblast” in Atlantic Monthly, December 1861, p. 700,^[1]

     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 […]

   • 1907, Barbara Baynton, Sally Krimmer; Alan Lawson, editors, Human Toll (Portable Australian Authors: Barbara Baynton), St Lucia: University of Queensland Press, published 1980, page 221:

     For a time she could not soothe nor convince him that it was fancy.

2. An image or representation of anything formed in the mind.

   Synonyms: conception, thought, idea

   • c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:

     How now, my lord! why do you keep alone, / Of sorriest fancies your companions making, / Using those thoughts which should indeed have died / With them they think on?

3. An opinion or notion formed without much reflection.

   Synonym: impression

   • 1650, John Bulwer, Anthropometamorphosis: Man Transform’d, 2nd edition, London, 1653, Epistle Dedicatory, pp. 2-3,^[2]

     When you have well viewed the Scenes and Devillish shapes of this Practicall Metamorphosis, and scan’d them in your serious thoughts, you will wonder at their audacious phant’sies, who seeme to hold Specificall deformities, or that any part can seeme unhandsome in their Eyes, which hath appeared good and beautifull unto their Maker […]
4. A whim.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:whim

   I had a fancy to learn to play the flute.

5. Love or amorous attachment.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:predilection

   • 1967, Sleigh, Barbara, Jessamy, 1993 edition, Sevenoaks, Kent: Bloomsbury, →ISBN, page 36:

     And they’ve taken a fancy to me, Aunt said. Kitto and the others. That means they like me.

   He took a fancy to her.

6. The object of inclination or liking.

   • c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:

     For you, fair Hermia, look you arm yourself / To fit your fancies to your father’s will;

7. Any sport or hobby pursued by a group.

   Synonyms: hobby; see also Thesaurus:hobby

   Trainspotting is the fancy of a special lot.

   the cat fancy

8. The enthusiasts of such a pursuit.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:fan

   He fell out of favor with the boxing fancy after the incident.

   • 1830, Thomas De Quincey, “Review of Life of Richard Bentley, D.D. by J.H. Monk, D.D.” in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 28, No. 171, September 1830, p. 446, footnote,^[3]

     […] at a great book sale in London, which had congregated all the Fancy, on a copy occurring, not one of the company but ourself knew what the mystical title-page meant.

9. A diamond with a distinctive colour.
10. That which pleases or entertains the taste or caprice without much use or value.
    • 18th century, John Mortimer, The Whole Art of Husbandry; or, The Way of Managing and Improving Land, cited in Samuel Johnson, A Dictionary of the English Language, 1755,^[4]

      London-pride is a pretty fancy, and does well for borders.

11. A bite-sized sponge cake, with a layer of cream, covered in icing.

    a French fancy; a fondant fancy; cream fancies

12. (obsolete) A sort of love song or light impromptu ballad.

    • c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:

      [He] sung those tunes to the overscutch’d huswifes that he heard the carmen whistle, and sware they were his fancies or his good-nights.

13. 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[edit]

Translations[edit]

Adjective[edit]

fancy (comparative fancier, superlative fanciest)

1. Decorative, or featuring decorations, especially intricate or diverse ones.

   Synonyms: decorative, ornate

   Antonyms: plain, simple

   This is a fancy shawl.

2. Of a superior grade.

   Synonym: high-end

   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.

   Synonym: highfalutin

   Antonym: simple

   I’m not keen on him and his fancy ideas.

5. (obsolete) Extravagant; above real value.

   • 1859, Thomas Macaulay, The Life of Frederick the Great:

     This anxiety never degenerated into a monomania, like that which led his [Frederick the Great’s] father to pay fancy prices for giants.

Derived terms[edit]

Descendants[edit]

• → German: fancy
• → Norwegian Bokmål: fancy
• → Norwegian Nynorsk: fancy

Translations[edit]

Adverb[edit]

fancy (not comparable)

1. (nonstandard) In a fancy manner; fancily.

   • 1970, Troy Conway, The Cunning Linguist, London: Flamingo Books, page 131:

     I igonored it, hurdling her navel, riding her torso and taking both her breasts in my hands and mashing them none too fancy.

Etymology 2[edit]

From Middle English fancien, fantasien, fantesien, from Old French fantasier, from the noun (see above)).

Verb[edit]

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

   Synonym: feel like

   I fancy a burger tonight for dinner.

   Do you fancy going to town this weekend?

3. (Britain, informal) To be sexually attracted to.

   Synonym: (US) like

   I fancy that girl over there.

   • c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], part 1, 2nd edition, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act III, scene ii:

     How can you fancie one that lookes so fierce, / Onely diſpoſed to martiall Stratagems? / UUho when he ſhal embrace you in his arms / UUil tell how many thouſand men he ſlew.

4. (dated or in a set phrase) To imagine, suppose.

   [dated] I fancy you’ll want something to drink after your long journey.

   I fancy this is an error.

   Fancy meeting you here!

   Fancy that! I saw Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy kissing in the garden.

   You won’t get the gig just because you fancy yourself a musician.

   • If our search has reached no farther than simile and metaphor, we rather fancy than know.

   • 1843 December 19, Charles Dickens, “Stave Four. The Last of the Spirits.”, in A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas, London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC, page 128:

     Quiet and dark, beside him stood the Phantom, with its outstretched hand. When he roused himself from his thoughtful quest, he fancied from the turn of the hand, and its situation in reference to himself, that the Unseen Eyes were looking at him keenly. It made him shudder, and feel very cold.

   • 1907, Harold Bindloss, chapter 22, in The Dust of Conflict:

     Appleby […] rose from his seat when Morales came in. He shook hands urbanely, unbuckled his sword, and laid his kepi on the table, and then sat down with an expression of concern in his olive face which Appleby fancied was assumed.

5. To form a conception of; to portray in the mind.

   Synonym: imagine
6. To have a fancy for; to like; to be pleased with, particularly on account of external appearance or manners.

   • 1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]:

     We fancy not the cardinal.

7. (transitive) To breed (animals) as a hobby.
   • 1973, American Pigeon Journal (page 159)

     I would recommend this little book very highly to anyone who fancies pigeons, novices and veterans alike.

Derived terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

See also[edit]

• fantasy
• fancy man
• fancypants
• fancy woman
• fancy is as fancy does

References[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• Fancy in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)

German[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from English fancy. Doublet of Fantasie.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /ˈfɛnsi/

Adjective[edit]

fancy (indeclinable)

1. (colloquial, fashion) fancy

   Synonym: schick

Declension[edit]

Indeclinable.

Further reading[edit]

• “fancy” in Duden online
• “fancy” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Norwegian Bokmål[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from English fancy.

Adjective[edit]

fancy (indeclinable)

1. fancy

References[edit]

• “fancy” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from English fancy.

Adjective[edit]

fancy (indeclinable)

1. fancy

References[edit]

• “fancy” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

фантазия, воображение, вкус, причудливый, модный, полагать

существительное ↓

прилагательное ↓

глагол ↓

Словосочетания

a fashionable soiree at a fancy hotel — светская вечеринка в дорогом отеле  
a sense of fancy and whimsy — ощущение фантастического и причудливого  
to dig that fancy hat — заметить ту модную шляпку  
distempered fancy / mind — расстроенное воображение  
faerie fancy — волшебный, сказочный образ  
flight of fancy — полёт фантазии  
fancy footwork — причудливые движения ног  
fancy car costing twenty-five gees — модная тачка ценой в двадцать пять зелёных кусков  
luxuriant fancy — буйная фантазия  
maggoty fancy — причудливая фантазия  
fancy name — выдуманное имя  
the lively play of fancy — живая игра фантазии  

Примеры с переводом

Примеры, ожидающие перевода

Возможные однокоренные слова

fancier  — любитель, знаток, фантазер, мечтатель
infancy  — младенчество, детство, детский возраст, период становления, несовершеннолетие
fancied  — воображаемый, любимый
fancies  — фасонные пирожные, галантерея, модные товары
fancily  — причудливо, странно, фантастически, с фантазией

Формы слова

verb
I/you/we/they: fancy
he/she/it: fancies
ing ф. (present participle): fancying
2-я ф. (past tense): fancied
3-я ф. (past participle): fancied

noun
ед. ч.(singular): fancy
мн. ч.(plural): fancies

adjective
срав. степ. (comparative): fancier
прев. степ. (superlative): fanciest