fancy

1. ornamental; decorative; not plain:

   a cake with a fancy icing.

   Synonyms: ornate, decorated

2. tending or intending to impress: fancy four-syllable words.

   a fancy degree in geophysics;

   fancy four-syllable words.

3. complicated or difficult to perform or execute:

   a couple doing some fancy footwork on the dance floor.

4. depending on imagination or caprice; whimsical; irregular:

   a fancy conception of time.

5. made, designed, grown, adapted, etc., to please the taste or fancy; of superfine quality or exceptional appeal:

   fancy goods; fancy fruits.

   Synonyms: choice, elegant, fine

6. bred to develop points of beauty or excellence, as an animal.
7. much too costly; exorbitant or extravagant:

   a consultant who charges fancy fees.

1. imagination or fantasy, especially as exercised in a capricious manner.
2. the artistic ability of creating unreal or whimsical imagery, decorative detail, etc., as in poetry or drawing.
3. a mental image or conception:

   He had happy fancies of being a famous actor.

   Synonyms: phantasm, idea, impression, notion, thought

4. an idea or opinion with little foundation; illusion:

   Her belief that she can sing is a mere fancy.

5. a caprice; whim; vagary:

   It was his fancy to fly to Paris occasionally for dinner.

   Synonyms: crotchet, humor, quirk

6. capricious preference; inclination; a liking:

   to take a fancy to walking barefoot in the streets.

7. critical judgment; taste.
8. the breeding of animals to develop points of beauty or excellence.
9. the fancy, Archaic. people deeply interested in a sport, art, etc.
10. Obsolete. sexual love.

1. to form a conception of; picture to oneself:

   Fancy living with that egotist all your life!

   Synonyms: imagine, conceive, envision

2. to believe without being absolutely sure or certain:

   I fancy you are my new neighbor.

3. to take a liking to; like:

   I really fancy the spotted one in that litter.

4. to want or desire:

   I fancy another piece of cake.

5. to breed to develop a special type of animal.

1. fancy that. (used as an exclamation of mild surprise):

   They invited you, too? Fancy!

verb phrase

1. to make superficially showy by way of improvement:

   an old car fancied up with a bright new paint job.