Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense fancies, present participle fancying, past tense, past participle fancied
1. verb
If you fancy something, you want to have it or to do it.
[mainly British, informal]
What do you fancy doing, anyway? [VERB verb-ing]
Do you fancy going to see a movie sometime? [VERB verb-ing]
I just fancied a drink. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: wish for, want, desire, would like More Synonyms of fancy
2. countable noun
A fancy is a liking or desire for someone or something, especially one that does not last long.
She did not suspect that his interest was just a passing fancy.
Synonyms: whim, thought, idea, desire More Synonyms of fancy
3. verb
If you fancy someone, you feel attracted to them, especially in a sexual way.
[informal]
I think he thinks I fancy him or something. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: be attracted to, find attractive, desire, lust after More Synonyms of fancy
4. verb
If you fancyyourself as a particular kind of person or fancy yourself doing a particular thing, you like the idea of being that kind of person or doingthat thing.
So you fancy yourself as the boss someday? [V pron-refl + as]
I didn't fancy myself wearing a kilt. [V pron-refl v-ing]
5. verb
If you say that someone fanciesthemselves as a particular kind of person, you mean that they think, often wrongly, that they have the good qualities which that kind of person has.
She fancies herself a bohemian. [V pron-refl n]
She knew Felix fancied himself as a connoisseur. [V pron-refl as n]
...a flighty young woman who really fancies herself. [VERB pronoun-reflexive]
6. verb
If you say that you fancy a particular competitor or team in a competition, you think they will win.
[British]
You have to fancy Bath because they are the most consistent team in England. [VERB noun]
I fancy England to win through. [VERB noun to-infinitive]
7. verb
If you fancy that something is the case, you think or suppose that it is so.
[literary]
When Ferris looked up he fancied that he saw a shadow pass close to the window. [VERB that]
She fancied he was trying to hide a smile. [VERB that]
Synonyms: suppose, think, believe, imagine More Synonyms of fancy
8. variable noun
A fancy is an idea that is unlikely, untrue, or imaginary.
[literary]
His last book is a bold, at times surrealistic mixture of fact and fancy.
...a childhood fancy.
...whims and fancies.
Synonyms: delusion, dream, vision, fantasy More Synonyms of fancy
9. exclamation
You say 'fancy' or 'fancy that' when you want to express surprise or disapproval.
[feelings]
It was very tasteless. Fancy talking like that so soon after his death.
'Fancy that!' smiled Conti.
10.
See take a fancy to sb/sth
11.
See take/tickle sb's fancy
12. flight of fancy
More Synonyms of fancy
fancy elaborate or expensive
(fænsi)
Word forms: comparative fancier, superlative fanciest
1. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
If you describe something as fancy, you mean that it is special, unusual, or elaborate, for example because it has a lot of decoration.
It was packaged in a fancy plastic case with attractive graphics.
...fancy jewellery.
Synonyms: elaborate, decorated, decorative, extravagant More Synonyms of fancy
2. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
If you describe something as fancy, you mean that it is very expensive or of very high quality, and you often dislike it because of this.
[informal]
He owned a fancy house out on Lake Agaway.
...a fancy private school.
fancy in British English
(ˈfænsɪ)
adjectiveWord forms: -cier or -ciest
1.
not plain; ornamented or decorative
a fancy cake
fancy clothes
2.
requiring skill to perform; intricate
a fancy dance routine
3.
arising in the imagination; capricious or illusory
4.
(often used ironically) superior in quality or impressive
a fancy course in business administration
5.
higher than expected
fancy prices
6.
(of a domestic animal) bred for particular qualities
nounWord forms: plural-cies
7.
a sudden capricious idea; whim
8.
a sudden or irrational liking for a person or thing
9.
the power to conceive and represent decorative and novel imagery, esp in poetry. Fancy was held by Coleridge to be more casual and superficial than imagination
imagination (sense 4)
10.
an idea or thing produced by this
11.
a mental image
12.
taste or judgment, as in art of dress
13. Also called: fantasy, fantasia music
a composition for solo lute, keyboard, etc, current during the 16th and 17th centuries
14. the fancy
verbWord forms: -cies, -cying or -cied(transitive)
15.
to picture in the imagination
16.
to suppose; imagine
I fancy it will rain
17. (often used with a negative)
to like
I don't fancy your chances!
18. (reflexive)
to have a high or ill-founded opinion of oneself
he fancied himself as a doctor
19. informal
to have a wish for; desire
she fancied some chocolate
20. British informal
to be physically attracted to (another person)
21.
to breed (animals) for particular characteristics
exclamation
22. Also: fancy that!
an exclamation of surprise or disbelief
Derived forms
fancily (ˈfancily)
adverb
fanciness (ˈfanciness)
noun
Word origin
C15 fantsy, shortened from fantasie; see fantasy
fancy in American English
(ˈfænsi)
nounWord forms: pluralˈfancies
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 inclination, liking, or fondness, often transient
to take a fancy to someone
6. Rare
critical taste or judgment in art, dress, etc.
adjectiveWord forms: ˈfancier or ˈfanciest
7.
based on fancy; capricious; whimsical; fanciful
8.
higher than real value; extravagant
a fancy price
9.
made or added to please the fancy; ornamental; decorated; not plain; elaborate
a fancy necktie
10.
of superior skill; intricate and difficult
fancy diving
11.
of superior quality, and therefore more expensive
canned goods graded fancy
12.
bred for some special feature or excellence of type
said of animals
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈfancied or ˈfancying
13.
to form an idea of; imagine
14.
to have a liking for; be fond of
to fancy rich desserts
15.
to believe something without being sure; suppose
they are, I fancy, still friends
Idioms:
fancy (that)!
the fancy
Derived forms
fanciless (ˈfanciless)
adjective
fancily (ˈfancily)
adverb
fanciness (ˈfanciness)
noun
Word origin
ME fantsy, contr. < fantasie: see fantasy
More idioms containing
fancy
a flight of fancy
Examples of 'fancy' in a sentence
fancy
It is really just a large provincial city with fancy shops and restaurants.
The Sun (2016)
He says no one fancied him at school.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This should be a good race to watch and lots will be fancying their chances.
The Sun (2017)
The couple also fancy opening something together in the future.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Just another fancy candle range, or a joke on modern society?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
In fact I have fancied her since the day we met.
The Sun (2017)
Eat what you want, eat what you fancy and stop when you're full.
The Sun (2016)
That means we often fancy the same blokes.
The Sun (2009)
For me it was just a passing fancy.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The nipper is given most of the jobs that no one fancies.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
People tend to confuse imagination with fancy or the imaginary.
Christianity Today (2000)
Which sounded to me like a fancy way of saying he was a thief.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
It also gives promo deals and has a search option if you fancy something random.
The Sun (2012)
She says she fancies me and wants to make a go of things.
The Sun (2012)
Or fancy dress outfits worn on hen dos.
The Sun (2011)
Not sure whether you really fancy that bloke who works in accounts?
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Not a lot of people fancied us.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Fancy graphics and faster processing are almost a given.
The Sun (2013)
We were heading to dinner with a friend who wanted to show off his favorite fancy restaurant.
Pressley, Michael & McCormick, Christine Advanced Educational Psychology For Educators, Researchers and Policymakers, (1995)
No one will fancy playing against him.
The Sun (2006)
We all live with fake and fancy things.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Nobody fancied taking the stuff the next week.
Richard Bath Notorious: The Maddest and Baddest Sportsmen on the Planet (2006)
They began as a hefty team that fancied their chances.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
She fancies the idea of photography.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
My husband no longer fancies you.
The Sun (2013)
No fancy, expensive or fashionable stuff.
The Sun (2016)
See what takes your fancy, and let your fancy run free.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
You almost can imagine that you are eating in a fancy restaurant in Russia.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Patience might just prove the very last fancy foreign concept English football imports.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
There is always something at that marsh but I had a special fancy for an early cuckoo.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
With both, makers joyfully indulged wit, whim and fancy.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Quotations
Ever let the fancy roam, Pleasure never is at homeJohn KeatsFancy
Tell me where is fancy bred, Or in the heart or in the head?William ShakespeareThe Merchant of Venice
In other languages
fancy
British English: fancy /ˈfænsɪ/ VERB
If you fancy something, you want to have it or do it.
Do you fancy going to see a film sometime?
American English: fancy
Arabic: يَرْغَبُ في
Brazilian Portuguese: gostar de
Chinese: 想象
Croatian: željeti
Czech: mít chuť
Danish: kunne tænke sig
Dutch: zin hebben in
European Spanish: tener ganas de
Finnish: tykätä
French: être attiré par
German: jemanden attraktiv finden
Greek: συμπαθώ
Italian: piacere
Japanese: ･･･が気に入る
Korean: 공상하다
Norwegian: forestille (seg)
Polish: mieć ochotę na
European Portuguese: fantasiar
Romanian: a-și imagina
Russian: желать
Latin American Spanish: apetecer
Swedish: tycka om
Thai: ปรารถนา
Turkish: hoşlanmak
Ukrainian: хотіти
Vietnamese: thích
British English: fancy /ˈfænsɪ/ ADJECTIVE
Something that is fancy is special and not ordinary.
We were all wearing fancy clothes.
American English: fancy
Arabic: مُزَيَّن
Brazilian Portuguese: pomposo
Chinese: 奇特的
Croatian: pomodan
Czech: exkluzivní
Danish: smart
Dutch: chic
European Spanish: elaborado
Finnish: erikoinen
French: sophistiqué
German: ausgefallen
Greek: ασυνήθιστος
Italian: stravagante
Japanese: 特別な
Korean: 화려한
Norwegian: fancy
Polish: wymyślny
European Portuguese: chique
Romanian: șic
Russian: причудливый
Latin American Spanish: extravagante
Swedish: fin
Thai: แฟนซี
Turkish: fantezi
Ukrainian: фантастичний
Vietnamese: đặc biệt
British English: fancy ADJECTIVE
If you describe something as fancy, you mean that it is special, unusual, or elaborate, for example because it has a lot of decoration.
It was packaged in a fancy plastic case with attractive graphics.
American English: fancy
Brazilian Portuguese: luxuoso
Chinese: 别致的
European Spanish: lujoso
French: recherché
German: ausgefallen
Italian: stravagante
Japanese: 装飾的な
Korean: 최고급의
European Portuguese: luxuoso
Latin American Spanish: lujoso
All related terms of 'fancy'
fancy dan
a flashy , ostentatious person, often one who lacks real skill , etc.
fancy man
a person's male lover
fancy men
a person's male lover
the fancy
those who follow a particular sport, esp prize fighting
fancy dress
Fancy dress is clothing that you wear for a party at which everyone tries to look like a famous person or a person from a story , from history , or from a particular profession .
fancy fern
a common fern , Dryopteris austriaca spinulosa , having delicate , lacy leaves and used extensively in floral arrangements
fancy-free
having no commitments ; carefree
fancy goods
small decorative gifts ; knick-knacks
fancy woman
a person's female lover
fancy women
a person's female lover
fancy (that)!
can you imagine (that)!
fancy restaurant
A restaurant is a place where you can eat a meal and pay for it. In restaurants your food is usually served to you at your table by a waiter or waitress .
fancy dress ball
a ball at which the guests wear fancy dress
fancy dress party
a party at which the guests wear fancy dress
flight of fancy
An idea or statement that is very imaginative but complicated , silly , or impractical can be referred to as a flight of fancy .
a flight of fancy
an imaginative idea or plan that is pleasant to think about but not at all practical
fancies
not plain ; ornamented or decorative
footloose and fancy-free
If you describe someone as footloose and fancy-free , you mean that they are not married or in a similar relationship , and you therefore consider them to have very few responsibilities or commitments .
take/tickle sb's fancy
If something takes your fancy or tickles your fancy , you like it a lot when you see it or think of it.
take a fancy to sb/sth
If you take a fancy to someone or something, you start liking them, usually for no understandable reason .
It was packaged in a fancy plastic case with attractive graphics.
Synonyms
elaborate
a designer known for his elaborate costumes
decorated
decorative
highly decorative iron brackets
extravagant
The couple wed in extravagant style.
intricate
intricate patterns and motifs
baroque
He was a baroque figure dressed in theatrical, but elegant, clothes.
ornamented
ornamental
ornamental plaster mouldings
ornate
an ornate gilded staircase
elegant
Patricia looked as beautiful and elegant as always.
fanciful
embellished
Opposites
common
,
simple
,
basic
,
cheap
,
ordinary
,
plain
,
inferior
,
unadorned
,
unfussy
,
undecorated
2 (adjective)
Definition
(often used ironically) superior in quality
They sent me to a fancy private school.
Synonyms
expensive
high-quality
classy (informal)
Her parents lived in Rome's classy Monte Mario quarter.
flashy
a flashy sports car
swish (informal)
showy
They were smart but not showy.
ostentatious
the ostentatious lifestyle of the super-rich
1 (noun)
Definition
a sudden or irrational liking for a person or thing
His interest was just a passing fancy.
Synonyms
whim
We decided, more or less on a whim, to sail to Morocco.
thought
They had no thought of surrendering.
idea
Some of his ideas about democracy are entirely his own.
desire
I had a strong desire to help and care for people.
urge
He had an urge to open a shop of his own.
notion
I had a whimsical notion to fly off to Rio that night.
humour
impulse
I resisted an impulse to smile.
inclination
She set out to follow her artistic inclinations.
caprice
Dash had always been indulged in every caprice.
2 (noun)
Definition
a person's imagination
(old-fashioned, literary)
Synonyms
imagination
image
The words `Côte d'Azur' conjure up images of sun, sea and sand.
impression
My impression is that they are totally out of control.
conception
The symphony is admirable in its conception.
3 (noun)
His book is a bold surrealist mixture of fact and fancy.
Synonyms
delusion
I was under the delusion that he intended to marry me.
dream
I had a dream that I was in an old house.
vision
I have a vision of a society free of exploitation and injustice.
fantasy
Everyone's had a fantasy about winning the lottery.
nightmare
daydream
She perpetually drifted off into daydreams and made up fantasy stories in her head.
chimera
He spent his life pursuing the chimera of perfect love.
phantasm
1 (verb)
Definition
to have a wish for
(informal)
I just fancied a drink.
Synonyms
wish for
They wished for a son or daughter to carry on the family business.
want
My husband really wants a new car.
desire
He was bored and desired change in his life.
would like
hope for
dream of
relish
She is not relishing the prospect of returning to work.
long for
crave
There may be certain times of day when smokers crave a cigarette.
be attracted to
yearn for
thirst for
hanker after
I hankered after a floor-length suede coat.
have a yen for
2 (verb)
Definition
to be physically attracted to (another person)
(British, informal)
I think he thinks I fancy him.
Synonyms
be attracted to
find attractive
desire
lust after
like
Would you like to come back for coffee?
prefer
Do you prefer a particular sort of music?
favour
She favours community activism over legislation.
take to
go for
be captivated by
have an eye for
have a thing about (informal)
have eyes for
take a liking to
3 (verb)
Definition
to think or suppose
She fancied he was trying to hide a smile.
Synonyms
suppose
Where do you suppose he's got to?
think
I think he'll do a great job for us.
believe
I believe you have something of mine.
imagine
I imagine you're referring to me.
guess (informal)
I guess I'm just being paranoid.
reckon
He reckoned he was still fond of her.
conceive
We now cannot conceive of a world without electricity.
infer
I inferred from what she said that you have not been well.
conjecture
This may or may not be true; we are all conjecturing here.
surmise
She surmised that they had discovered one of the illegal streets.
think likely
be inclined to think
phrasal verb
See fancy yourself
idiom
See take a fancy to something or someone
Quotations
Ever let the fancy roam, Pleasure never is at home [John Keats – Fancy]Tell me where is fancy bred, Or in the heart or in the head? [William Shakespeare – The Merchant of Venice]
Additional synonyms
in the sense of baroque
Definition
ornate in style
He was a baroque figure dressed in theatrical, but elegant, clothes.