I. WANTING, LIKING, OR THINKING
/fænsi/
( fancies, fancying, fancied)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
If you fancy something, you want to have it or to do it. ( mainly BRIT INFORMAL )
What do you fancy doing, anyway?...
I just fancied a drink.
VERB : V -ing , V n
2.
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.
= whim
N-COUNT : usu with supp
3.
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 : V n
4.
If you fancy yourself as a particular kind of person or fancy yourself doing a particular thing, you like the idea of being that kind of person or doing that thing.
So you fancy yourself as the boss someday?...
I didn’t fancy myself wearing a kilt.
VERB : V pron-refl as n , V pron-refl -ing
5.
If you say that someone fancies themselves 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...
...a flighty young woman who really fancies herself.
VERB : V pron-refl n , V pron-refl
6.
If you say that you fancy a particular competitor or team in a competition, you think they will win. ( BRIT )
You have to fancy Bath because they are the most consistent team in England...
I fancy England to win through.
VERB : V n , V n to-inf
7.
You say ‘ fancy ’ or ‘ fancy that ’ when you want to express surprise or disapproval.
It was very tasteless. Fancy talking like that so soon after his death...
‘Fancy that!’ smiled Conti.
EXCLAM [ feelings ]
8.
If you take a fancy to someone or something, you start liking them, usually for no understandable reason.
Sylvia took quite a fancy to him...
PHRASE : V inflects , PHR n / -ing
9.
If something takes your fancy or tickles your fancy , you like it a lot when you see it or think of it.
She makes most of her own clothes, copying any fashion which takes her fancy.
PHRASE : V inflects
II. ELABORATE OR EXPENSIVE
/fænsi/
( fancier, fanciest)
1.
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.
ADJ : usu ADJ n
2.
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 )
They sent me to a fancy private school.
ADJ : usu ADJ n