v.
(fancies, fancying, fancied)
- Brit. informal feel a desire for.
▸find sexually attractive.
- Brit. regard as a likely winner.
- imagine.
▸
chiefly Brit. used to express surprise:
fancy that!
adj.
(fancier, fanciest)
elaborate or highly decorated.
▸sophisticated or expensive.
▸chiefly N. Amer. (especially of foodstuffs) of high quality.
▸(of flowers) of two or more colours.
▸(of an animal) bred to develop particular points of appearance.
n.
(pl. fancies)
- a superficial or transient feeling of attraction.
▸a favourite in a race or other sporting contest.
- the faculty of imagination.
▸an unfounded or tentative belief or idea.
-
(also fancy cake)
Brit. a small iced cake or biscuit.
Phrase
- take
(or catch)
someone's fancy
appeal to someone. - take a fancy to
become fond of, especially without an obvious reason.
Derivative
- fancily adv.
- fanciness n.
Etymology
ME: contr. of fantasy.