fancy
fan|cy dress
[N-UNCOUNT] oft N n
Fancy dress is clothing that you wear for a party at which everyone tries to look like a famous person or a person from a story, from history, or from a particular profession.
Guests were told to come in fancy dress...♦ fan|cy1 /f'ænsi/ (fancy fancies fancying fancied) WANTING, LIKING, OR THINKING
1 [VERB] V -ing, V n
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.
2 [N-COUNT] usu with supp
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
3 [VERB] V n
If you fancy someone, you feel attracted to them, especially in a sexual way. (INFORMAL)
I think he thinks I fancy him or something.
4 [VERB] V pron-refl as n, V pron-refl -ing
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.
5 [VERB] V pron-refl n, V pron-refl
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.
6 [VERB] V n, V n to-inf
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.
7 [EXCLAM]
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.
8 [PHRASE] V inflects, PHR n/-ing
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...
9 [PHRASE] V inflects
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.fan|cy2 /f'ænsi/ (fancy fancier fanciest) ELABORATE OR EXPENSIVE
1 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
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.
2 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
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.
[N-UNCOUNT] oft N n
Fancy dress is clothing that you wear for a party at which everyone tries to look like a famous person or a person from a story, from history, or from a particular profession.
Guests were told to come in fancy dress...♦ fan|cy1 /f'ænsi/ (fancy fancies fancying fancied) WANTING, LIKING, OR THINKING
1 [VERB] V -ing, V n
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.
2 [N-COUNT] usu with supp
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
3 [VERB] V n
If you fancy someone, you feel attracted to them, especially in a sexual way. (INFORMAL)
I think he thinks I fancy him or something.
4 [VERB] V pron-refl as n, V pron-refl -ing
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.
5 [VERB] V pron-refl n, V pron-refl
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.
6 [VERB] V n, V n to-inf
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.
7 [EXCLAM]
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.
8 [PHRASE] V inflects, PHR n/-ing
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...
9 [PHRASE] V inflects
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.fan|cy2 /f'ænsi/ (fancy fancier fanciest) ELABORATE OR EXPENSIVE
1 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
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.
2 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
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.