fancied

Adjective

fancied (not comparable)

1. Existing only in the fancy (“imagination”) or by social convention; imaginary, imagined; supposed; perceived rather than real.
   • Near-synonyms: conceptual, fanciful, ideal, notional
   • The plant was named for its fancied resemblance to a Roman spear.

   Synonyms:

   conceptual, fanciful, ideal, notional

2. Organized, or (especially of attire) designed, to suit one's fancy or whim.
   • Man does vvith dangerous Curioſity / Theſe unfathom'd VVonders try: / VVith fancy'd Rules and Arbitrary Lavvs / Matter and Motion he reſtrains, / And ſtudy'd Lines and fictious Circles dravvs; […]1688, Mat[thew] Prior, “On Exodus 3. 14. I Am that I Am. An Ode. […]”, in Poems on Several Occasions, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], published 1709, →OCLC, stanza VI, page 4
3. Having a fancy (“inclination, liking, or love”) for; desired, favourite.
   • Now St. Paul, "not willing to make" these ministers "a public example," concealeth their persons, yet discovereth the fault; and, making bold with his brethren, Apollos and Cephas, applieth to them and himself what the Corinthians spake of their fancied preachers. "Now this I say, that every one of...1640, Thomas Fuller, “Faction Confuted”, in Ioseph’s Partie-coloured Coat: Containing, a Comment on Part of the II. Chapter of the I. Epistle of S. Paul to the Corinthians. […], London: […] Iohn...
   • I did not call him fool, and vex my friend, / But quietly allowed experiment, / Encouraged him to dust his drink, and now / Grate lignum vitæ now bruise so-called grains / Of Paradise, and now, for perfume, pour / Distilment rare, the rose of Jericho, / Holy-thorn, passion-flower, and what know I?...1873 January 23, Robert Browning, “Part IV”, in Red Cotton Night-Cap Country: Or Turf and Towers, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC, page 245
4. Predicted to win or succeed.
   • the fancied team in the tournament
   • Scotland began well and then slowly faded. Haiti were no great shakes but they were getting on top. Wasteful, but better than their heavily fancied opponents.2026 June 14, Tom English, “Why Haiti v Scotland was antidote to the ills of world football”, in BBC Sport

   Antonyms:

   unfancied

5. (obsolete) Designed in an artistic manner.
   • His seals are curiously fancied, and exquisitely well cut, and of great use to encourage young gentlemen to write a good hand.1710 March 17 (Gregorian calendar), Isaac Bickerstaff [et al., pseudonyms; Richard Steele], “Monday, March 7, 1709–10”, in The Tatler, number 142; republished in [Richard Steele], editor, The Tatler...
   • [T]hey have taken thoſe beautiful buckles out of her ſhoes! […] I vvonder vvho'll buy them. I aſſure you they vvere the prettieſt fancied I ever ſavv.1782, [Frances Burney], “A Sketch of High Life”, in Cecilia, or Memoirs of an Heiress. […], volume I, London: […] T[homas] Payne and Son […], and T[homas] Cadell […], →OCLC, book I, page 51