fancy

fan|cy¹ S3 [ˈfænsi] v past tense and past participle fancied present participle fancying third person singular fancies [T]

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1¦(like/want)¦

2¦(sexual attraction)¦

3 fancy yourself

4 fancy yourself (as) something

5¦(think something will be successful)¦

6 fancy!/fancy that!

7¦(think/believe)¦

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1.) ¦(LIKE/WANT)¦

BrE informal to like or want something, or want to do something

= ↑feel like

▪ Fancy a quick drink, Emma?

fancy doing sth

▪ Sorry, but I don't fancy going out tonight.

2.) ¦(SEXUAL ATTRACTION)¦

BrE informal to feel sexually attracted to someone

▪ All the girls fancied him.

3.) fancy yourself

BrE informal to behave in a way that shows you think you are very attractive or clever

▪ That bloke on the dance floor really fancies himself.

4.) fancy yourself (as) sth

BrE to believe, usually wrongly, that you have particular skills or are a particular type of person

▪ He fancies himself an artist.

▪ She fancies herself as another Madonna.

5.) ¦(THINK SOMETHING WILL BE SUCCESSFUL)¦

BrE to think someone or something is likely to be successful in something

▪ Which team do you fancy this year?

▪ I don't fancy our chances of getting a ticket this late.

6.) fancy!/fancy that!

BrE spoken used to express your surprise or shock about something

▪ 'The Petersons are getting divorced.' 'Fancy that!'

▪ Fancy seeing you here!

7.) ¦(THINK/BELIEVE)¦

literary to think or believe something without being certain

fancy (that)

▪ She fancied she heard a noise downstairs.

fancy ²

fancy² n plural fancies

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1¦(liking/wish)¦

2 tickle somebody's fancy

3¦(idea)¦

4¦(imagination)¦

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[Date: 1400-1500; Origin: fantasy]

1.) ¦(LIKING/WISH)¦ [singular]

especially BrE

a) a feeling, especially one that is not particularly strong or urgent, that you like someone or want to have something

take a fancy to sb/sth

(=decide that you like someone or want to have something)

▪ Mr Hill took a real fancy to Clara.

▪ Wanting to go to Mexico was just a passing fancy (=the feeling did not last long) .

▪ Because of its high cost, a carpet is not an item that you change as the fancy takes you (=whenever you want) .

b) take/catch your fancy

if something takes or catches your fancy, you like it or want to have it

▪ Did you see anything that took your fancy?

2.) tickle sb's fancy informal

to seem attractive or amusing to someone

▪ The idea of playing a joke on her tickled his fancy.

3.) ¦(IDEA)¦ old-fashioned an idea or opinion that is not based on fact

▪ Oh, that was just a fancy of his.

4.) ¦(IMAGINATION)¦[U]

literary imagination or something that you imagine

→flight of fancy at ↑flight

fancy ³

fancy³ S3 adj comparative fancier superlative fanciest

1.) fancy hotels, restaurants, cars etc are expensive and fashionable

= ↑swanky

▪ Harry took me to a fancy restaurant for our anniversary.

fancy prices

BrE (=very high and often unreasonable prices)

2.) having a lot of decoration or bright colours, or made in a complicated way

▪ fancy soaps in seashell shapes

▪ I just want a basic sports coat - nothing fancy .

3.) complicated and needing a lot of skill

≠ ↑straightforward

▪ I can't do all that fancy stuff on the computer.

▪ Negotiating a deal can take some fancy footwork (=skill at making deals) .

4.) [only before noun] AmE

fancy food is of a high quality