From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Fancy \Fan"cy\ (f[a^]n"s[y^]), noun; 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.
In the soul Are many lesser faculties, that serve Reason as chief. Among these fancy next Her office holds. --Milton.
2. An image or representation of anything formed in the mind; conception; thought; idea; conceit.
How now, my lord ! why do you keep alone, Of sorriest fancies your companoins making ? --Shak.
3. An opinion or notion formed without much reflection; caprice; whim; impression.
I have always had a fancy that learning might be made a play and recreation to children. --Locke.
4. Inclination; liking, formed by caprice rather than reason; as, to strike one's fancy; hence, the object of inclination or liking.
To fit your fancies to your father's will. --Shak.
5. That which pleases or entertains the taste or caprice without much use or value.
London pride is a pretty fancy for borders. --Mortimer.
6. A sort of love song or light impromptu ballad. [Obs.] --Shak.
{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.
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}.
Define.com is a registered nonprofit corporation dedicated solely to the global public interest and the advancement of humanity. It belongs to all of us who have a desire to promote electronic democracy, science, creativity, imagination, reason, critical thinking, peace, race and gender equality, civil rights, equal access to education, personal liberty, free speech, animal rights, compassionate and nonviolent parenting, social and economic justice, global monetary reform, Secular Humanism, cognitive liberty and a permanent cessation of The War on Drugs.
Let's see what we can do if we put our heads together.
0