fancy
fancy — verb
1. to feel that you would like to have something or to take part in a particular ac
to feel that you would like to have something or to take part in a particular activity
Do you fancy a cup of tea after that long walk, Jin?
fancy + noun phrase for wanting something
Christopher fancies going to the beach this weekend if the weather stays warm.
fancy + -ing verb for wanting to do
I do not fancy getting caught in the rain without an umbrella tonight.
What do you fancy for dinner, Mira — Italian food or something lighter?
fancy + noun in question form
The children fancied a trip to the aquarium after seeing the advertisement on television.
- fancy a drink
- fancy a walk
- fancy doing something
- fancy trying
- dislike
direct opposite; to not want something
Grammar Patterns
fancy + noun phrase
fancy + -ing verb
Usage Note
This sense is common in British English but rare in American English, where 'feel like' or 'want' is preferred.
Common Mistakes
2. to find someone sexually or romantically attractive
to find someone sexually or romantically attractive
Tariq fancies Meera, but he has been too shy to tell her how he feels.
fancy + person for romantic attraction
Gabriela could tell that Felix fancied her from the way he kept smiling at her across the room.
Do you actually fancy him, or are you just enjoying the attention he gives you?
Amani admitted she had fancied her classmate for months before finally speaking to him.
fancy someone — past tense with duration
- fancy someone
- really fancy
- fancy somebody
- like
more common in American English; less direct about sexual attraction
- have a crush on
more playful and often used by younger speakers
- be attracted to
more formal and precise
Grammar Patterns
fancy + noun phrase (person)
Usage Note
Used informally in British English. In American English, 'like' or 'have a crush on' are more common for this meaning.
Common Mistakes
3. to believe, often with too much confidence, that you are a particular type of pe
to believe, often with too much confidence, that you are a particular type of person or have a particular skill or quality
Michael really fancies himself a talented singer, though nobody else agrees with that opinion.
fancy + oneself + noun for self-image
Eshe fancied herself as a fashion designer and spent all her savings on fabric and sewing classes.
fancy + oneself + as + noun
The young man fancied himself a poet and wrote verses every evening by candlelight.
Dewi fancies herself a great cook, but her family quietly orders takeaway when she is not looking.
- fancy oneself as
- fancy oneself a
- fancy yourself an expert
- think of oneself as
more neutral; does not imply the belief is wrong
- see oneself as
similar to 'think of oneself as', neutral in tone
- consider oneself
more formal and less judgemental
- underestimate oneself
the opposite of having an inflated self-opinion
Grammar Patterns
fancy + oneself + noun
fancy + oneself + as + noun
Usage Note
Almost always followed by a reflexive pronoun (oneself). Often carries a mildly critical or amused tone, suggesting the person's self-assessment is not accurate.
Common Mistakes
4. to picture something in your mind or hold an idea about it, often without being
to picture something in your mind or hold an idea about it, often without being fully sure that it is true or real
Can you fancy living in a tiny mountain village with no shops or internet connection?
fancy + noun phrase + -ing for imagining a situation
Eve fancied she heard footsteps behind her on the dark street, but it was only the wind.
Quan fancied the painting in the attic might be valuable, but the expert said it was worthless.
fancy + that-clause for uncertain belief
I fancy I have seen that woman somewhere before, though I cannot recall exactly where or when.
- fancy that
- fancy seeing
- fancy someone doing something
- imagine
more common in everyday English; broader in meaning
- suppose
suggests a tentative belief rather than a vivid mental picture
- conceive of
more formal; used especially in abstract or creative contexts
Grammar Patterns
fancy + that-clause
fancy + noun phrase + -ing
fancy + noun phrase
Usage Note
This sense is somewhat old-fashioned or literary in modern usage. 'Imagine' or 'suppose' are more common alternatives in everyday speech.
Common Mistakes
5. used to express strong surprise or shock at something that has happened or been
used to express strong surprise or shock at something that has happened or been said
Fancy meeting you here in Rome — I thought you were still working in Tokyo!
Fancy + -ing — fixed exclamation of surprise
Élise shook her head and said, 'Fancy that!' when she heard about the surprise award.
Fancy him winning the marathon after all those years of training with no coach.
'Fancy that!' the old woman muttered as she read the letter from her long-lost brother.
Fancy that! — standalone exclamation
- fancy that
- fancy seeing
- fancy meeting
- imagine that
similar meaning but less exclamatory
- can you believe it
more modern and conversational
Grammar Patterns
Fancy + that!
Fancy + noun phrase + -ing!
Fancy + -ing!
Usage Note
This is a fixed exclamatory use. It is somewhat old-fashioned and more common in older British speakers. The structure 'Fancy + -ing' or 'Fancy + noun + -ing' is typical.
Common Mistakes
fancy — adjective
1. decorated with many details or special touches, often to a degree that feels exc
decorated with many details or special touches, often to a degree that feels excessive or showy
The hotel lobby was decorated with fancy chandeliers and gold-trimmed mirrors.
fancy + noun for decorative objects
Ritu wore a fancy dress covered in sequins and lace to the New Year celebration.
The menu offered fancy dishes with ingredients that nobody at the table could pronounce.
Felix prefers simple furniture that is comfortable over fancy designs with too many details.
fancy designs contrasted with simple
The invitation was printed on fancy paper with gold letters and floral borders.
- fancy dress
- fancy restaurant
- fancy hotel
- fancy car
- fancy packaging
Common Mistakes
2. costing a lot of money, especially more than is really necessary for something b
costing a lot of money, especially more than is really necessary for something basic
Kasia and her husband stayed at a fancy hotel near the beach that charged over five hundred dollars a night.
fancy + hotel for expensive accommodation
Tunde took Salma to a fancy French restaurant for their anniversary dinner.
Sayaka bought a fancy handbag that cost her three months of part-time work wages.
The wedding reception was held at a fancy venue with a stunning view of the ocean.
fancy + venue for high-cost location
- fancy hotel
- fancy restaurant
- fancy car
- fancy neighbourhood
- luxury
emphasises high quality and comfort as well as cost
- posh
informal British English; describes places and products associated with upper-class taste
- high-class
focuses on quality and social status
Usage Note
This sense overlaps with ELABORATE; something fancy is both decorative and expensive. The difference is emphasis — here the focus is on cost and luxury rather than decorative detail.
Common Mistakes
fancy — noun
1. a short-lived interest in or liking for something or someone that does not last
a short-lived interest in or liking for something or someone that does not last long
Jin has developed a sudden fancy for classical music after attending a single concert.
a fancy for + something — sudden interest
Joon's passion for photography was just a passing fancy that lasted only two weeks.
a passing fancy — temporary interest
Children often have a fancy for something new and then lose interest just as quickly.
Michael's fancy for spicy food disappeared completely after he bit into a very hot pepper.
- a fancy for
- passing fancy
- have a fancy
- mere fancy
- whim
a sudden, impulsive desire; even more temporary
- passing interest
more neutral; less emotional intensity
- inclination
more formal and suggests a longer-lasting tendency
Grammar Patterns
a fancy for + noun phrase
have a fancy for
Usage Note
Often used in the phrase 'a passing fancy' to emphasise the temporary nature of the interest.
Common Mistakes
2. a strong, often sudden liking for someone or something, expressed in the phrase
a strong, often sudden liking for someone or something, expressed in the phrase 'take a fancy to'
The little girl took a fancy to the stray kitten and begged her mother to let her keep it.
took a fancy to + something — sudden liking
Quan has taken a fancy to learning calligraphy and now practises for two hours every day.
Salma took a fancy to the old bookstore near the station and visited it every weekend after work.
Emily's grandfather took a fancy to gardening after he retired and now grows all his own vegetables.
took a fancy to + gerund — developed an interest in an activity
- take a fancy to
- taken a fancy to
- take a liking to
more neutral; does not suggest suddenness
- develop a fondness for
more formal and gradual in tone
Grammar Patterns
take a fancy to + noun phrase/pronoun
Usage Note
This sense is always used within the fixed phrase 'take a fancy to' or 'taken a fancy to'. It describes the beginning of a liking, not a temporary interest.
Common Mistakes
3. the quality of being appealing or attractive to someone, used in the phrases 'ta
the quality of being appealing or attractive to someone, used in the phrases 'take your fancy' or 'tickle your fancy'
Look through the menu and order whatever takes your fancy, Christopher — it is my treat tonight.
whatever takes your fancy — whatever appeals to you
None of the dresses in the shop really took my fancy, so I left the store empty-handed.
Just pick a book that tickles your fancy from the shelf and settle into a comfortable chair.
tickles your fancy — playful variant
The job advertisement in the newspaper took Mira's fancy, and she sent in her application the same day.
- takes your fancy
- tickles your fancy
- whatever takes your fancy
- appeal to
a direct verb; the reverse is 'I appeal to someone'
- catch one's eye
less idiomatic for objects; more focused on visual appeal
Grammar Patterns
something takes your fancy
something tickles your fancy
Usage Note
This sense appears only in the fixed phrases 'take your fancy' and 'tickle your fancy'. The subject is the thing that appeals to you, not the person.
Common Mistakes
4. the power of the mind to create pictures, ideas, or stories that are not based o
the power of the mind to create pictures, ideas, or stories that are not based on real experience or fact
The tale of the haunted castle was merely a product of childish fancy, not a true story.
product of fancy — imagination at work
In her lively fancy, Meera pictured herself exploring ancient temples in a faraway land.
The poet's work is full of romantic fancy, with talking animals and magical forests.
Eshe dismissed the rumour as idle fancy, since nobody could provide any real evidence for it.
idle fancy — unfounded imagination
- idle fancy
- mere fancy
- product of fancy
- lively fancy
- imagination
more common in everyday English; broader and more neutral
- fantasy
strongly emphasises unreality and daydreaming
- whimsy
playful, light-hearted imagination
Usage Note
This sense is more formal and literary than the everyday word 'imagination'. It often suggests creativity that is playful, unrealistic, or whimsical rather than practical.
Common Mistakes
Word family
- fancifuladjectiveC1
- fancilyadverbC1
- fancinessnounC1
- fantasynounB1
- fantasianounC2
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
All four words express a wish to have or do something, but they differ in formality and grammar. 'Want' is the most neutral and widely used across all dialects; 'I want coffee' works anywhere. 'Feel like' is informal and always takes an -ing form ('I feel like going out'), making it a natural alternative to fancy in American English. 'Desire' is formal and literary, rarely used in everyday conversation. 'Fancy' (British) sits between 'feel like' and 'want' in register and must be followed by a noun phrase or an -ing verb, never a to-infinitive. For example: a Londoner might say 'I fancy a curry tonight,' while a New Yorker would say 'I feel like getting curry tonight,' and neither would say 'I desire curry tonight' in casual speech without sounding odd.
Common collocations
Nouns
- fancy dress
- fancy restaurant
- fancy hotel
- fancy car
Adverbs
- quite fancy
- rather fancy
- really fancy
Phrases
- take a fancy to
- tickle your fancy
- passing fancy
- whatever takes your fancy
Prepositions
- fancy for
- fancy as
Etymology
The word 'fancy' began as a shortened form of 'fantasy' in late Middle English (around the 1400s). Both words come from Old French 'fantaisie', which came from Latin 'phantasia', borrowed from Greek 'phantasia' meaning 'imagination, appearance' — related to the Greek verb 'phainein' meaning 'to show'. Originally, fancy and fantasy were used interchangeably for imagination or a mental image. Over time, fancy developed its own distinct meanings: first a noun for imagination, then a verb for imagining or liking, and later an adjective describing something elaborate or showy — as if it came from the imagination rather than being plain and ordinary.