fancy

I. transitive verb (fancied; fancying) Date: 14th century 1. to have a fancy for ; like 2. to form a conception of ; imagine <

fancy our embarrassment

> 3. a. to believe mistakenly or without evidence b. to believe without being certain <

she fancied she had met him before

> 4. to visualize or interpret as <

fancied myself a child again

> Synonyms: see think II. noun (plural fancies) Etymology: Middle English fantasie, fantsy imagination, image, illusion, preference, from Anglo-French fantasie illusion, from Latin phantasia, from Greek, appearance, imagination, from phantazein to present to the mind (middle voice, to imagine), from phainein to show; akin to Old English gebōned polished, Greek phōs light Date: 15th century 1. a. a liking formed by caprice rather than reason ; inclination <

took a fancy to the mutt

> b. amorous fondness ; love 2. a. notion, whim b. an image or representation of something formed in the mind 3. archaic fantastic quality or state 4. a. imagination especially of a capricious or delusive sort b. the power of conception and representation used in artistic expression (as by a poet) 5. taste, judgment 6. a. devotees of some particular art, practice, or amusement b. the object of interest of such a fancy; especially boxing I III. adjective (fancier; -est) Date: 1646 1. dependent or based on fancy ; whimsical 2. a. (1) not plain ; ornamental <

a fancy hairdo

> (2) swanky 2, posh <

a fancy restaurant

> b. (1) of particular excellence or highest grade <

fancy tuna

> (2) impressive <

posted some fancy numbers

> c. of an animal or plant bred especially for bizarre or ornamental qualities that lack practical utility 3. based on conceptions of the fancy <

fancy sketches

> 4. a. dealing in fancy goods b. extravagant <

paying fancy prices

> 5. executed with technical skill and style <

fancy footwork

> <

fancy diving

> 6. parti-color <

fancy carnations

> • fancily adverb • fanciness noun