conceit
an excessively favorable opinion of one's own ability, importance, wit, etc.
something that is conceived in the mind; a thought; idea: He jotted down the conceits of his idle hours.
imagination; fancy.
a fancy; whim; fanciful notion.
an elaborate, fanciful metaphor, especially of a strained or far-fetched nature.
the use of such metaphors as a literary characteristic, especially in poetry.
a fancy, purely decorative article.
British Dialect.
favorable opinion; esteem.
personal opinion or estimation.
Obsolete. the faculty of conceiving; apprehension.
to flatter (especially oneself).
British Dialect. to take a fancy to; have a good opinion of.
Obsolete.
to imagine.
to conceive; apprehend.
Idioms about conceit
out of conceit with, displeased or dissatisfied with.
Origin of conceit
1synonym study For conceit
Other words for conceit
Opposites for conceit
Words Nearby conceit
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use conceit in a sentence
Wolf concurs that the conceit of the show seems to have everyone but the sex worker in mind.
To Catch a Sex Worker: A&E’s Awful, Exploitative Ambush Show | Samantha Allen | December 19, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTSo the heaviness was not so much a literary conceit but something I wanted to talk about.
Meghan Daum On Tackling The Unspeakable Parts Of Life | David Yaffe | December 6, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTBecause that conceit was straight/gay vs straight/straight, I could do a lot of overtly straight humor and it would be acceptable.
Oscars Host Neil Patrick Harris on His Best and Worst Emcee Moments (VIDEO) | Neil Patrick Harris | October 15, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTBut Sex Box, with its ridiculous guinea pigs screwing conceit, will only augment our cultural hang-ups about sex.
'Sex Box,' a Reality TV Show Where Couples Have Sex in a Box and Discuss It, Is Coming to America | Marlow Stern | August 21, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAnd this is how we arrive at the lovely conceit of Scarlett Johansson as an alien seductress.
Scarlett Johansson is an Alien Seductress in ‘Under the Skin’ | Jimmy So | April 3, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Having seen no service, he owed his appointment largely to his conceit and good looks.
Napoleon's Marshals | R. P. Dunn-PattisonI am out of conceit with England just now; and would far rather have gone to the Antipodes.
Elster's Folly | Mrs. Henry WoodIt would argue too much literary conceit on my part were I anxious to restore it to the light of day.
Marguerite | Anatole FranceIt came to Lowell in a flash that Bill's arrogance sprang from something deeper than mere conceit or drunkenness.
Mystery Ranch | Arthur ChapmanHe is made to talk like a man of the greatest vanity and conceit, and to throw contempt and scorn on everybody else.
Beacon Lights of History, Volume I | John Lord
British Dictionary definitions for conceit
/ (kənˈsiːt) /
a high, often exaggerated, opinion of oneself or one's accomplishments; vanity
literary an elaborate image or far-fetched comparison, esp as used by the English Metaphysical poets
archaic
a witty expression
fancy; imagination
an idea
obsolete a small ornament
Northern English dialect to like or be able to bear (something, such as food or drink)
obsolete to think or imagine
Origin of conceit
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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