fancy
Definitions
To want or like something; (BrE, informal) to be attracted to someone
想要，喜欢；（英式口语）对……有好感
To imagine or believe something, often mistakenly
想象，以为（常指错误地）
A liking or desire; a passing whim
爱好，喜爱；一时的念头
Elaborate, decorative, or high-quality; not plain
精美的，华丽的，高档的
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedfancy is simply fantasy worn down by centuries of everyday English — a contracted form of the same Greek 'appear/imagine' root (phantasia). 'To fancy' something is to form a pleasing image of it in the mind: to imagine, to take a liking to. The 'elaborate / decorative' adjective grew from 'made to please the imagination,' i.e. fanciful.
Root phas still carries 13 more wordsWhy It Means This
The same word splits widely: in Britain 'I fancy a coffee' means 'I'd like one,' and 'he fancies her' means he's attracted to her — both from the 'pleasing mental image' sense. The adjective 'fancy restaurant' comes from the older idea of something elaborate enough to delight the imagination. All of it traces back to fantasy, hence to the 'appear' root.
Usage Guide
BrE vs AmE: the verb 'fancy' (want / be attracted to: 'fancy a drink?', 'I fancy her') is chiefly British; Americans say 'feel like' or 'be into.' The adjective 'fancy' (elaborate, upscale) is used everywhere. The noun survives mainly in fixed phrases: 'take a fancy to,' 'tickle one's fancy,' 'flight of fancy.'
Example Sentences
- 1.
Do you fancy going out for dinner tonight?
- 2.
She took a fancy to the little blue cottage.
- 3.
They had dinner at a fancy restaurant downtown.