fancy

Universal Words verb, noun, adjective verb (fancies, fancying, fancied, fancied) 1 (BrE, informal) to want sth or want to do sth: [VN] Fancy a drink? * I fancied a change of scene. * She didn't fancy (= did not like) the idea of going home in the dark. * [V-ing] Do you fancy going out this evening? 2 [VN] (BrE, informal) to be sexually attracted to sb: I think she fancies me. 3 [VN] ~ yourself (BrE, informal, disapproving) to think that you are very popular, attractive or intelligent: He started to chat to me and I could tell that he really fancied himself. 4 [VN-N] ~ yourself (as) sth (BrE) to like the idea of being sth or to believe, often wrongly, that you are sth: She fancies herself (as) a serious actress. * He fancied himself in love with me, the silly boy. 5 (Fancy!) (BrE, spoken, becoming old-fashioned) used to show that you are surprised or shocked by sth: [V] Fancy! She's never been in a plane before. * [V-ing] Fancy meeting you here! * [VN] 'She remembered my name after all those years.' 'Fancy that!' 6 (BrE) [VN] to think that sb will win or be successful at sth, especially in a race: Which horse do you fancy in the next race? * He's hoping to get the job but I don't fancy his chances. 7 [V(that)] (literary) to believe or imagine sth: She fancied (that) she heard footsteps behind her. noun (plural fancies) 1 [C,U] something that you imagine; your imagination SYNFANTASY: teenage / girlish fancies * night-time fancies that disappear in the morning * a child's wild flights of fancy 2 [sing.] a feeling that you would like to have or to do sth SYNWHIM: She said she wanted a dog but it was only a passing fancy. 3 [C,usually pl.] (BrE) a small decorated cake IDIOMS as / whenever, etc. the fancy takes you as/whenever, etc. you feel like doing sth: We bought a camper van so we could go away whenever the fancy took us. catch / take sb's fancy to attract or please sb: She looked through the hotel advertisements until one of them caught her fancy. take a fancy to sb/sth (especially BrE) to start liking sb/sth, often without an obvious reason: He's taken quite a fancy to his next-door neighbour. moreatTICKLEv. adjective (fancier, fanciest) 1 unusually complicated, often in an unnecessary way: a kitchen full of fancy gadgets * They added a lot of fancy footwork to the dance. OPPSIMPLE 2 [onlybeforenoun] (especially of small things) with a lot of decorations or bright colours: fancy goods (= things sold as ornaments or gifts) * He was the fanciest dresser in the room. comparePLAIN 3 (sometimes disapproving) expensive or connected with an expensive way of life: fancy restaurants with fancy prices * Don't come back with any fancy ideas.