From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishfancyfan‧cy1 /ˈfænsi/ ●●○ S3 verb (fancied, fancying, fancies) [transitive] 1 like/want British English informalWANT to like or want something, or want to do something SYN feel like Fancy a quick drink, Emma?fancy doing something Sorry, but I don’t fancy going out tonight.2 sexual attraction British English informalATTRACTED TO somebody to feel sexually attracted to someone All the girls fancied him.3 → fancy yourself4 → fancy yourself (as) something5 think something will be successful British EnglishSUCCESSFUL to think someone or something is likely to be successful in something Which team do you fancy this year? I don’t fancy our chances of getting a ticket this late.6 → fancy!/fancy that!7 think/believe literaryBELIEVETHINK SO/NOT BE SURE to think or believe something without being certainfancy (that) She fancied she heard a noise downstairs.→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
fancy• No such thoughts troubled her, he fancied.• I think he's always fancied a car like Lizzie's.• Do you fancy a drink?• Do you fancy a walk in the park, Estelle?• All the girls fancy Bob.• I really fancy going for a swim.• I just didn't fancy her and that was all there was to it.• Krause has always fancied himself a keen talent scout first.• Marx was not a humanist, though he fancied himself to be.• Is there anything you fancy in your room?• But perhaps some one did - does - fancy Mme Wyatt.• Everyone knows you fancy Sara. Why don't you ask her out?• She fancied that she could hear voices, and that the voices might belong to creatures like herself.• Archer fancied that she had been told of his coming.• Fenella really fancied the drummer and went over to chat to him after the concert.• I think Stevie fancies you.fancy ... chances• Chap at the far end of the bar in a grey pin-stripe clearly fancied his chances.• If you fancy your chances at bigger shows think about a registered Mountain and Moorland for a fraction of the price.• They are beginning to quietly fancy their chances at Stamford Bridge.• If you fancy your chances, contact Carolyn Andrews at the public affairs department who will send you the necessary registration forms.• They certainly fancied their chances in the next event: swimming.• Van Rensburg perhaps fancies his chances in the red and white.• I hadn't been sober and I'd quite fancied my chances with one of the birds.fancy (that)• It is called the Top-Flite Magna and Spalding - correctly, one fancies - anticipate much scepticism.• They had no fancy degrees, no savings accounts, no rich uncles hidden in the woodwork.• Especially on the old machines, the mostly mechanical ones without all the fancy electronics and mind-numbing sound.• She fancied me, that was clear.• There may not be a fancy meal in it, but it surely would be as satisfying.• He could invite friends to a fancy restaurant or away on a weekend trip.• The fancy taste for ornaments and trinkets displayed by these peculiar birds appealed to the Victorian dilettante.• But he did have fancy thoughts sometimes, nor were they always wrong. fancyfancy2 ●○○ noun (plural fancies) 1 liking/wish [singular] especially British English a) WANTa feeling, especially one that is not particularly strong or urgent, that you like someone or want to have somethingtake a fancy to somebody/something (=decide that you like someone or want to have something) Mr Hill took a real fancy to Clara. Wanting to go to Mexico was just a passing fancy (=the feeling did not last long). Because of its high cost, a carpet is not an item that you change as the fancy takes you (=whenever you want). b) take/catch your fancyWANT if something takes or catches your fancy, you like it or want to have it Did you see anything that took your fancy?2 → tickle somebody’s fancy3 idea [countable] old-fashionedIDEAOPINION an idea or opinion that is not based on fact Oh, that was just a fancy of his.4 imagination [uncountable] literaryIMAGINE imagination or something that you imagine → flight of fancy at flight(6)Examples from the Corpus
fancy• The poet Emily Dickinson is known for her brilliant fancies.• You get the sense that Wideman was open to anything that struck his fancy.• His commands are absolute; no man may tailor them to suit his fancy.• One just wishes his fancy had slightly more to offer.fancyfancy3 ●○○ adjective (comparative fancier, superlative fanciest) 1 EXPENSIVEfancy hotels, restaurants, cars etc are expensive and fashionable SYN swanky Harry took me to a fancy restaurant for our anniversary.fancy prices British English (=very high and often unreasonable prices)2 DECORATEhaving a lot of decoration or bright colours, or made in a complicated way fancy soaps in seashell shapes I just want a basic sports coat – nothing fancy.3 COMPLICATEDcomplicated and needing a lot of skill OPP straightforward I can’t do all that fancy stuff on the computer. Negotiating a deal can take some fancy footwork (=skill at making deals).4 [only before noun] American EnglishGOOD/EXCELLENT fancy food is of a high qualityExamples from the Corpus
fancy• In the past, he has been a fundamental coach whose teams were not fancy but very well conditioned and drilled.• fancy butter• a velvet jacket with fancy buttons• Shooting parties, picnics, fancy dress.• In the 1970s, as sports revenues from television soared, it was fashionable to build multipurpose stadiums with few fancy facilities.• The Web site has a lot of fancy graphics.• We stayed in this really fancy hotel in the mountains.• There is a fancy mailbox in the shape of a mallard with the name Alvesteffer beneath it.• Phoney psychics could milk their rich clients for years, charging fancy prices for rap sessions with the dear departed.• You'd think a fancy restaurant like this would have better service.• fancy skiing• The fancy taste for ornaments and trinkets displayed by these peculiar birds appealed to the Victorian dilettante.• We stayed in a fancy Victorian hotel in San Francisco.fancy prices• Phoney psychics could milk their rich clients for years, charging fancy prices for rap sessions with the dear departed.nothing fancy• The lodge itself, he said, was nothing fancy.• The restaurant's food is nothing fancy , but it's good family fare.• The Lodge is nothing fancy -- just a row of cottages huddled on the side of a hill overlooking the sea.• This was his favourite meal. Nothing fancy, just steak and salad.fancy footwork• But within 24 hours and with a little fancy footwork, Engler got in line behind Sen.• Government attorneys' fancy legal footwork has raised doubts about their motives.• Mitchell at the helm, Sanders and his fancy footwork, Moore and his mind-blowing numbers.• He wasn't up to the fancy footwork required for duelling on the high seas.From Longman Business Dictionaryfancyfan‧cy /ˈfænsi/ adjective informal a very high and often unreasonable priceDesigner labels tend to come with fancy prices to match.Origin fancy2 (1400-1500) fantasy 