Word: fancy Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From Middle English fansy, fantsy, a contraction of fantasy, fantasye, fantasie, from Old French fantasie, from Medieval Latin fantasia, from Late Latin phantasia (“an idea, notion, fancy, phantasm”), from Ancient Greek φαντασία (phantasía), from φαντάζω (phantázō, “to render visible”), from φαντός (phantós, “visible”), from φαίνω (phaínō, “to make visible”); from the same root as φάος (pháos, “light”); ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰh₂nyéti, from the root *bʰeh₂- (“to shine”). Doublet of fantasia, fantasy, phantasia, and phantasy. Pronunciation: /ˈfæn.si/ 1. The imagination. Example: […] But know that in the soul / Are many lesser faculties, that serve / Reason as chief; among these Fancy next / Her office holds […] Example: In the Spring a livelier iris changes on the burnish’d dove; / In the Spring a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love. 2. An image or representation of anything formed in the mind. Example: 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? Example: Her timbers were olden dreams dreamed long ago, and poets’ fancies made her tall, straight masts, and her rigging was wrought out of the people’s hopes. 3. An opinion or notion formed without much reflection. Example: 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 good and beautiful unto their Maker: […] Example: I have always had a Fancy, that Learning might be made a Play and Recreation to Children […] 4. A whim. Example: I had a fancy to learn to play the flute. 5. Love or amorous attachment. Example: And they’ve taken a fancy to me, Aunt said. Kitto and the others. That means they like me. 6. Liking. Example: He took a fancy to the goods in the window. 7. The object of inclination or liking. Example: For you, fair Hermia, look you arm yourself / To fit your fancies to your father’s will; 8. Any sport or hobby pursued by a group. Example: Trainspotting is the fancy of a special lot. Example: the cat fancy 9. The enthusiasts of such a pursuit. Example: He fell out of favor with the boxing fancy after the incident. Example: […] at a great book sale in London, which had congregated all the Fancy, on a copy occurring, not one of the company but ourself knew what the mystical title-page meant. 10. A diamond with a distinctive colour. 11. That which pleases or entertains the taste or caprice without much use or value. Example: 18th century, John Mortimer, The Whole Art of Husbandry; or, The Way of Managing and Improving Land, cited in Samuel Johnson, A Dictionary of the English Language, 1755, London-pride is a pretty fancy, and does well for borders. 12. A bite-sized sponge cake, with a layer of cream, covered in icing. Example: a French fancy; a fondant fancy; cream fancies 13. A sort of love song or light impromptu ballad. Labels: obsolete Example: [He] ſung thoſe tunes to the ouer-ſchutcht huſwiues, that he heard the Car-men whiſtle, and ſware they were his fancies or his good-nights, […] 14. In the game of jacks, a style of play involving additional actions (contrasted with plainsies). Example: When you have mastered plainsies, the regular jack game, and have learned all the rules, you will be ready to use this part of the book. A fancy is a variation of plainsies which usually requires more skill than plainsies does. Example: When you get good at jacks, try adding a fancy. A fancy is an extra round at the end of a game. It makes the game a little harder. Jack Be Nimble, Around the World, or Black Widow are some fancies. 15. A colored neckerchief worn at prizefights to show support for a contender. Labels: in-compounds, obsolete, slang Example: the yellow fancy; the cream fancy; the blood-red fancy