Etymology 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”), 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.
[…] But know that in the soul / Are many lesser faculties, that serve / Reason as chief; among these Fancy next / Her office holds […]1667, John Milton, “Book V”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 100-103:
In the Spring a livelier iris changes on the burnish’d dove; / In the Spring a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love.1835, Alfred Tennyson, “Locksley Hall”, in Poems. […], volume II, London: Edward Moxon, […], published 1842, →OCLC, page 94:
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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 […]1861 December, Thomas Wentworth Higginson, “A New Counterblast”, in Atlantic Monthly, page 700:
[I]n ten minutes more the sun was up, and blazing so fiercely, that we were glad to cool ourselves in fancy, by talking over salmon-fishings in Scotland and New Brunswick, and wadings in icy streams beneath the black pine-woods.1871, Charles Kingsley, “The High Woods”, in At Last: A Christmas in the West Indies. […], volume I, London; New York, N.Y.: Macmillan and Co., →OCLC, page 232:
For a time she could not soothe nor convince him that it was fancy.1907, Barbara Baynton, edited by Sally Krimmer and Alan Lawson, Human Toll (Portable Australian Authors: Barbara Baynton), St Lucia: University of Queensland Press, published 1980, page 221:
2
An image or representation of anything formed in the mind.
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?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]:
Her timbers were olden dreams dreamed long ago, and poets’ fancies made her tall, straight masts, and her rigging was wrought out of the people’s hopes.1905, Lord Dunsany [i.e., Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany], The Gods of Pegāna, London: [Charles] Elkin Mathews, […], →OCLC, page 88:
3
An opinion or notion formed without much reflection.
VVhen you have vvell vievved the Scenes and Deviliſh ſhapes of this Practical Metamorphoſis, and ſcan'd them in your ſerious thoughts, you vvill vvonder at their audacious phant'ſies, vvho ſeem to hold Specifical deformities, or that any part can ſeeme unhandſome in their Eyes, vvhich hath appeared good and beautiful unto their Maker: […]1650, John Bulwer, “To His Honoured Friend, Thomas Diconson, Esquire”, in Anthropometamorphosis: Man Transform’d; or, The Artificial Changeling. […], London: […] J. Hardesty, […], →OCLC:
I have always had a Fancy, that Learning might be made a Play and Recreation to Children […]1693, [John Locke], “(please specify the section number)”, in Some Thoughts Concerning Education, London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], →OCLC:
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I dare say I am merely a foolish woman with a young girl's fancies.1912, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Lost World […], London; New York, N.Y.: Hodder and Stoughton, →OCLC:
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A whim.
I had a fancy to learn to play the flute.
5
Love or amorous attachment.
And they’ve taken a fancy to me, Aunt said. Kitto and the others. That means they like me.1967, Barbara Sleigh, Jessamy, Sevenoaks, Kent: Bloomsbury, published 1993, →ISBN, page 36:
6
Liking.
He took a fancy to the goods in the window.
7
The object of inclination or liking.
For you, fair Hermia, look you arm yourself / To fit your fancies to your father’s will;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]:
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Any sport or hobby pursued by a group.
Trainspotting is the fancy of a special lot.
the cat fancy
9
The enthusiasts of such a pursuit.
He fell out of favor with the boxing fancy after the incident.
[…] 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.1830 September, Thomas De Quincey, “Review of Life of Richard Bentley, D.D. by J.H. Monk, D.D.”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume 28, number 171, p. 446, footnote:
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A diamond with a distinctive colour.
11
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, London-pride is a pretty fancy, and does well for borders.
12
A bite-sized sponge cake, with a layer of cream, covered in icing.
a French fancy; a fondant fancy; cream fancies
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Obsolete A sort of love song or light impromptu ballad.
[He] ſung thoſe tunes to the ouer-ſchutcht huſwiues, that he heard the Car-men whiſtle, and ſware they were his fancies or his good-nights, […]c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Second Part of Henrie the Fourth, […], quarto edition, London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Andrew Wise, and William Aspley, published 1600, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], signature F3, verso:
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In the game of jacks, a style of play involving additional actions (contrasted with plainsies).
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.1970, Marta Weigle, Follow my fancy: the book of jacks and jack games, page 22:
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.2002, Elizabeth Dana Jaffe, Sherry L. Field, Linda D. Labbo, Jacks, page 26:
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In compounds, Obsolete, Slang A colored neckerchief worn at prizefights to show support for a contender.
the yellow fancy; the cream fancy; the blood-red fancy
Etymology 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”), 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.
1
Decorative, or featuring decorations, especially intricate or diverse ones.
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.
This anxiety never degenerated into a monomania, like that which led his [Frederick the Great's] father to pay fancy prices for giants.1859, Thomas Macaulay, The Life of Frederick the Great:
Etymology 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”), 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.
I igonored it, hurdling her navel, riding her torso and taking both her breasts in my hands and mashing them none too fancy.1970, Troy Conway, The Cunning Linguist, London: Flamingo Books, page 131:
fancy
verb
Etymology From Middle English fancien, fantasien, fantesien, from Old French fantasier, from the noun (see above)).
UK, Informal To be sexually, aesthetically or romantically attracted to.
I fancy that girl over there.
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.c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, 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:
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“Hanna’s different,” I said. ”Oh yes, isn’t she?” she said scornfully. “Because you fancy her. Well, you’re not likely to impress her talking that way.1988, John Christopher, When the Tripods Came:
[dated] I fancy you'll want something to drink after your long journey.
I fancy this is an error.
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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.a. 1705, John Locke, “Of the Conduct of the Understanding”, in Posthumous Works of Mr. John Locke: […], London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], published 1706, →OCLC:
5
To form a conception of; to portray in the mind.
he whom I fancy, but can ne'er express1693, Decimus Junius Juvenalis, John Dryden, transl., “[The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis.] The Seventh Satyr”, in The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis. Translated into English Verse. […] Together with the Satires of Aulus Persius Flaccus. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC:
It was such a scene of confusion as you can hardly fancy. All the lockfast places had been broken open in quest of the chart.1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC:
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To have a fancy for; to like; to be pleased with, particularly on account of external appearance or manners.
We fancy not the cardinal.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]:
"Oh! I can fancy her flutter! For my part, if there be one character in the world more odious than another, I think it is a fussy woman. Lady, with Lord Cadurcis dining with her, and the new beauty for a niece, must have been in a most delectable state of bustle.1888, Benjamin Disraeli, Disraeli's Novels, page 109:
7
To breed (animals) as a hobby.
I would recommend this little book very highly to anyone who fancies pigeons, novices and veterans alike.1973, American Pigeon Journal, page 159: