phancy

Noun

fancy (plural fancies)

1. The imagination.
   • […] But know that in the soul / Are many lesser faculties, that serve / Reason as chief; among these Fancy next / Her office holds […]1667, John Milton, “Book V”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished...
2. An image or representation of anything formed in the mind.
   • How now, my lord! why do you keep alone, / Of sorriest fancies your companions making, / Using those thoughts which should indeed have died / With them they think on?c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount...

   Synonyms:

   conception, thought, idea

3. An opinion or notion formed without much reflection.
   • VVhen you have vvell vievved the Scenes and Deviliſh ſhapes of this Practical Metamorphoſis, and ſcan'd them in your ſerious thoughts, you vvill vvonder at their audacious phant'ſies, vvho ſeem to hold Specifical deformities, or that any part can ſeeme unhandſome in their Eyes, vvhich hath appeared...1650, John Bulwer, “To His Honoured Friend, Thomas Diconson, Esquire”, in Anthropometamorphosis: Man Transform’d; or, The Artificial Changeling. […], London: […] J. Hardesty, […], →OCLC

   Synonyms:

   impression

4. A whim.
   • I had a fancy to learn to play the flute.

   Synonyms:

   boutade, caprice, capriccio, conceit, crotchet, delirament, fangle, figary, flisk, freak

5. Love or amorous attachment.
   • And they’ve taken a fancy to me, Aunt said. Kitto and the others. That means they like me.1967, Barbara Sleigh, Jessamy, Sevenoaks, Kent: Bloomsbury, published 1993, →ISBN, page 36

   Synonyms:

   affinity, bag, bent, love, cup of coffee, cup of joe, cup of tea, dish, jam, liking

6. Liking.
   • He took a fancy to the goods in the window.

See all 29 meanings of fancy