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conceit
7 dictionary results for: conceit
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
con·ceit       [kuhn-seet] Pronunciation Key
–noun
1.an excessively favorable opinion of one's own ability, importance, wit, etc.
2.something that is conceived in the mind; a thought; idea: He jotted down the conceits of his idle hours.
3.imagination; fancy.
4.a fancy; whim; fanciful notion.
5.an elaborate, fanciful metaphor, esp. of a strained or far-fetched nature.
6.the use of such metaphors as a literary characteristic, esp. in poetry.
7.a fancy, purely decorative article.
8.British Dialect.
a.favorable opinion; esteem.
b.personal opinion or estimation.
9.Obsolete. the faculty of conceiving; apprehension.
–verb (used with object)
10.to flatter (esp. oneself).
11.British Dialect. to take a fancy to; have a good opinion of.
12.Obsolete.
a.to imagine.
b.to conceive; apprehend.
—Idiom
13.out of conceit with, displeased or dissatisfied with.
[Origin: 1350–1400; ME conceyte, conceipt, deriv. of conceive by analogy with deceive, deceit and receive, receipt; cf. AF conceite; see concept]

—Synonyms 1. self-esteem, vanity, egotism, complacency. See pride.
—Antonyms 1. humility.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
con·ceit       (kən-sēt')  Pronunciation Key 
n.  
  1. A favorable and especially unduly high opinion of one's own abilities or worth.
  2. An ingenious or witty turn of phrase or thought.
    1. A fanciful poetic image, especially an elaborate or exaggerated comparison.
    2. A poem or passage consisting of such an image.
    3. The result of intellectual activity; a thought or an opinion.
    4. A fanciful thought or idea.
    5. A fancy article; a knickknack.
    6. An extravagant, fanciful, and elaborate construction or structure: "An eccentric addition to the lobby is a life-size wooden horse, a 19th century conceit" (Mimi Sheraton).
    1. The result of intellectual activity; a thought or an opinion.
    2. A fanciful thought or idea.
    3. A fancy article; a knickknack.
    4. An extravagant, fanciful, and elaborate construction or structure: "An eccentric addition to the lobby is a life-size wooden horse, a 19th century conceit" (Mimi Sheraton).
    1. A fancy article; a knickknack.
    2. An extravagant, fanciful, and elaborate construction or structure: "An eccentric addition to the lobby is a life-size wooden horse, a 19th century conceit" (Mimi Sheraton).

tr.v.   con·ceit·ed, con·ceit·ing, con·ceits
  1. Chiefly British To take a fancy to.
  2. Obsolete To understand; conceive.


[Middle English, mind, conception, from Anglo-Norman conceite, from Late Latin conceptus; see concept.]

Synonyms: These nouns denote excessive high regard for oneself: boasting that reveals conceit; imperturbable egoism; arrogance and egotism that were obvious from her actions; narcissism that shut out everyone else; wounded his vanity by looking in the mirror.
Antonym: humility

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
conceit 
c.1374, from conceiven (see conceive). An Eng. formation based on deceit and receipt. Sense evolved from "something formed in the mind," to "fanciful or witty notion" (1513), to "vanity" (1605) through shortening of self-conceit (1588). Conceited "having an overweening opinion of oneself" is from 1597.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
conceit

noun
1. feelings of excessive pride [syn: amour propre] 
2. an elaborate poetic image or a far-fetched comparison of very dissimilar things 
3. a witty or ingenious turn of phrase; "he could always come up with some inspired off-the-wall conceit" 
4. an artistic device or effect; "the architect's brilliant conceit was to build the house around the tree" 
5. the trait of being unduly vain and conceited; false pride [ant: humbleness] 

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Conceit

Con*ceit"\, n. [Through French, fr. L. conceptus a conceiving, conception, fr. concipere to conceive: cf. OF. p. p. nom. conciez conceived. See Conceive, and cf. Concept, Deceit.]

1. That which is conceived, imagined, or formed in the mind; idea; thought; image; conception.

In laughing, there ever procedeth a conceit of somewhat ridiculous. --Bacon.

A man wise in his own conceit. --Prov. xxvi. 12.

2. Faculty of conceiving ideas; mental faculty; apprehension; as, a man of quick conceit. [Obs.]

How often, alas! did her eyes say unto me that they loved! and yet I, not looking for such a matter, had not my conceit open to understand them. --Sir P. Sidney.

3. Quickness of apprehension; active imagination; lively fancy.

His wit's as thick as Tewksbury mustard; there's more conceit in him than is in a mallet. --Shak.

4. A fanciful, odd, or extravagant notion; a quant fancy; an unnatural or affected conception; a witty thought or turn of expression; a fanciful device; a whim; a quip.

On his way to the gibbet, a freak took him in the head to go off with a conceit. --L'Estrange.

Some to conceit alone their works confine, And glittering thoughts struck out at every line. --Pope.

Tasso is full of conceits . . . which are not only below the dignity of heroic verse but contrary to its nature. --Dryden.

5. An overweening idea of one's self; vanity.

Plumed with conceit he calls aloud. --Cotton.

6. Design; pattern. [Obs.] --Shak.

In conceit with, in accord with; agreeing or conforming.

Out of conceit with, not having a favorable opinion of; not pleased with; as, a man is out of conceit with his dress.

To put [one] out of conceit with, to make one indifferent to a thing, or in a degree displeased with it.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Conceit

Con*ceit"\, v. t. To conceive; to imagine. [Archaic]

The strong, by conceiting themselves weak, are therebly rendered as inactive . . . as if they really were so. --South.

One of two bad ways you must conceit me, Either a coward or a flatterer. --Shak.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Conceit

Con*ceit"\, v. i. To form an idea; to think. [Obs.]

Those whose . . . vulgar apprehensions conceit but low of matrimonial purposes. --Milton.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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