fancy
gb/fˈænsi/ us/fˈænsi/
B1
English
~ 6900
elegáns, díszes, puccos, kedve van, tetszik, bejön, vonzódik, fejlett, csúcstechnológiás, speciális, hóbort, szeszély, vonzalom, képzelet, fantázia, képzel, vél
B1
1
Usage pattern:
a/an fancy [noun]
They booked a fancy restaurant for their anniversary.
Évfordulójukra elegáns éttermet foglaltak.
I don't need anything fancy, just a simple black dress.
Nem kell semmi puccos, csak egy egyszerű fekete ruha.
He showed up in a fancy car and an expensive suit.
Learner examples
We went to a fancy hotel by the sea.
Egy elegáns tengerparti szállodában voltunk.
She wore a fancy dress to the wedding.
Elegáns ruhát viselt az esküvőn.
This cake looks very fancy with all the flowers on top.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think 'fancy' always means 'strange', but in this sense it mainly means stylish, expensive, or very decorated. Also note that in British English, 'fancy dress' usually means 'costume', not an elegant dress.
Meaning
expensive, stylish, or elaborate
Collocations
fancy restaurant
|fancy hotel
|fancy car
|fancy party
|fancy shoes
|nothing fancy
Synonyms
luxurious (Sounds slightly more formal and often suggests higher quality or comfort, not just appearance.)
Antonyms
plain (Describes something simple and without decoration, the opposite of stylish or elaborate.)
Themes
daily_life
|shopping
|appearance
|clothing
Definition
Looking very nice, smart, or special, and often costing more than normal.
More expensive, stylish, or decorated than is usual or necessary, often used for special occasions.
VERB
B1
INFORMAL
2
kedve van
A2
Usage pattern:
to fancy [something] / fancy doing [something]
Do you fancy a drink after work?
Van kedved beülni egy italra munka után?
I don't fancy going out tonight; it's too cold.
Nincs kedvem ma este kimenni; túl hideg van.
If you fancy something sweet, there's ice cream in the freezer.
Learner examples
Do you fancy a coffee?
Van kedved egy kávéhoz?
I fancy staying at home this evening.
Ma este inkább otthon maradnék.
She doesn't fancy watching a movie right now.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use this sense in formal writing, where 'would like' or 'feel like' is better. In American English, this use of 'fancy' is less common and can sound very British.
Meaning
to want or feel like
Collocations
fancy a drink
|fancy a coffee
|fancy going
|do you fancy…?
|fancy a walk
|fancy something sweet
Synonyms
feel like (Very close in meaning; slightly more neutral and common in both British and American English.)
Antonyms
not be in the mood for (Shows that you do not want something at that moment.)
Themes
daily_life
|food_and_drink
|socializing
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To want something, or to feel that you would like to do something.
To want something or to feel like having or doing something, especially in spoken British English.
VERB
B2
INFORMAL
3
Usage pattern:
to fancy [someone]
I really fancy her, but I'm too shy to say anything.
Nagyon tetszik nekem, de túl félénk vagyok ahhoz, hogy bármit mondjak.
You can tell he fancies you by the way he looks at you.
Abból, ahogy rád néz, látszik, hogy tetszel neki.
I used to fancy him at school, but now we're just friends.
Learner examples
She thinks he really fancies her.
Szerinte a fiú tényleg nagyon vonzódik hozzá.
I don't fancy him; he's just a friend.
Nem tetszik nekem úgy; csak barát.
They both fancy each other, but no one wants to speak first.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this with the simple 'want' meaning. Saying 'I fancy you' usually means romantic or sexual attraction, not just that you like someone as a friend.
Meaning
to be attracted to someone
Collocations
really fancy someone
|secretly fancy
|I fancy him
|I fancy her
|fancy each other
|clearly fancy
Synonyms
have a crush on (Often suggests a strong, sometimes childish or one-sided romantic feeling.)
Antonyms
be turned off by (Means to feel a lack of attraction or even a feeling of dislike in a romantic or sexual way.)
Themes
relationships
|emotions
Definition
To like someone in a romantic or sexual way.
To find someone sexually or romantically attractive, especially in spoken British English.
B2
4
Usage pattern:
fancy [device/thing/feature]
You don't need any fancy software to do this job.
Ehhez a munkához nincs szükséged semmilyen speciális szoftverre.
He bought a fancy camera with lots of special lenses.
Vett egy csúcstechnológiás fényképezőgépet, sok speciális objektívvel.
The website looks nice, but all those fancy graphics slow it down.
Learner examples
My phone is not very fancy, but it works.
A telefonom nem valami csúcstechnológiás, de működik.
This app has some fancy tools that I don't use.
Ebben az alkalmazásban van néhány speciális eszköz, amit nem használok.
We don't need a fancy program, just a simple one.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think 'fancy' here only means 'beautiful'. In this sense it often means technologically advanced or complex, not just nice-looking.
Meaning
advanced or complicated
Collocations
fancy software
|fancy camera
|fancy features
|fancy graphics
|fancy title
|fancy technology
Synonyms
sophisticated (More formal; often suggests advanced, well-designed systems or technology.)
Antonyms
basic (Describes something simple and without extra or advanced features.)
Themes
technology
|work_and_study
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Very advanced or complicated, often with many special features.
Using advanced, complex, or specialized features, often in a way that seems impressive or unnecessary.
NOUN
C1
5
Usage pattern:
to have a fancy for [something/someone]
He's always had a fancy for old jazz records.
Mindig is gyengéi voltak a régi jazzlemezek.
It was just a passing fancy; she soon forgot about it.
Csak múló hóbort volt; hamar megfeledkezett róla.
As a child, he nurtured a romantic fancy of becoming a pirate.
Learner examples
He has a fancy for sweet food.
Gyengéje az édesség.
Her love of horses started as a simple fancy.
A lovak iránti szeretete egyszerű hóbortként kezdődött.
I thought it was real love, but maybe it was only a fancy.
Common mistake:
This noun use is less common in everyday speech. Learners may overuse it instead of more natural phrases like 'I really like…' or 'I'm into…' in casual conversation.
Meaning
a liking or desire
Collocations
have a fancy for
|take a fancy to
|a passing fancy
|childhood fancy
|romantic fancy
|idle fancy
Synonyms
liking (More common and straightforward; does not carry the same sense of sudden or whimsical desire.)
Antonyms
dislike (The opposite feeling of not liking something or someone.)
Themes
emotions
|relationships
Definition
A feeling that you like something or want it, often suddenly and without a strong reason.
A feeling of liking or wanting someone or something, especially when it starts suddenly or without a clear reason.
NOUN
C2
LITERARY
6
Usage pattern:
the realm of fancy
The story is more a work of fancy than of fact.
A történet inkább a képzelet műve, mintsem a tényeké.
His wild fancy carried him to distant, imaginary lands.
Vad képzelete távoli, képzeletbeli tájakra repítette.
She dismissed the rumor as mere fancy.
Learner examples
The book is full of magic and fancy.
A könyv tele van varázslattal és fantáziával.
As a child, he lived in a world of fancy.
Gyerekként a képzelet világában élt.
This idea is just fancy, not reality.
Common mistake:
Learners may not recognize this literary noun use and may confuse it with the adjective meaning 'expensive' or the verb meaning 'want'. In normal conversation, 'imagination' is safer.
Meaning
imagination or fantasy
Collocations
flight of fancy
|pure fancy
|wild fancy
|product of fancy
|idle fancy
Synonyms
imagination (The normal, modern word; 'fancy' in this sense is more literary or old-fashioned.)
Antonyms
reality (Refers to what actually exists, as opposed to what is imagined.)
Themes
emotions
|arts
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Definition
The power of the mind to create pictures or ideas that are not real.
Imagination, especially when it produces ideas or images that are not real or are far from everyday life.
VERB
C1
LITERARY
7
Usage pattern:
to fancy (that) [clause]
For a moment, she fancied that she heard her name.
Egy pillanatra azt képzelte, hogy a nevét hallja.
You might fancy that money brings happiness, but it often does not.
Azt képzelhetnéd, hogy a pénz boldogságot hoz, de gyakran nem így van.
He fancied himself a great poet, though he had never published a line.
Learner examples
Sometimes I fancy that my phone is listening to me.
Néha azt képzelem, hogy a telefonom lehallgat.
He fancied that the old house was haunted.
Azt képzelte, hogy a régi ház kísértetjárta.
She fancied herself very important at work.
Common mistake:
Learners may misunderstand this as the 'want' meaning. In this sense, 'fancy' is about thinking or imagining, not about desire, and is mostly used in older or literary styles.
Meaning
to imagine or suppose
Collocations
fancy that
|I fancied that
|you might fancy that
|I fancy he will
|one might fancy
Synonyms
imagine (More common and neutral; 'fancy' here often sounds old-fashioned or ironic.)
Antonyms
know (To be sure about something because of facts, not just imagination or belief.)
Themes
thinking
|emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To think something is true or to imagine something, usually without strong reasons.
To imagine or believe something, especially something unlikely, without clear proof; often used in older or more literary English.
Grammar
Dictionary form
fancy
IPA
GB/fˈænsi/
US/fˈænsi/
Syllables & stress
fancy (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (fancy)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: fancy
- Comparative: fancier
- Superlative: fanciest
Noun
- Base: fancy
- Plural: fancies, fancy
Verb
- Base: fancy
- 3rd Person Singular: fancies
- Present Participle: fancying
- Past: fancied
Word family
Expressions
catch someone's fancy
7/kˈæt͡ʃ sˈʌmwˌʌnz fˈænsi/
idiom
attract someone's liking
To make someone interested in something or to make them like it.
Examples
- Nothing on the menu really caught my fancy.
- The idea of working abroad suddenly caught her fancy.
- If any of these books catch your fancy, you can borrow them.
do you fancy…?
3/dˈu jˈu fˈænsi ‖/
fixed phrase
informal
asking if someone wants something
A polite, informal way in British English to ask if someone wants something.
Examples
- Do you fancy going to the cinema tonight?
- Do you fancy a cup of tea?
- Do you fancy a game of tennis this weekend?
fancy dress
1/fˈænsi dɹˈɛs/
fixed phrase
costume for a party
In British English, clothes you wear to look like a different person or thing, for a party or event.
Examples
- They're having a fancy dress party on Saturday.
- He came in fancy dress as a pirate.
- We spent all afternoon making fancy dress costumes for the kids.
fancy someone
2/fˈænsi sˈʌmwˌʌn/
idiom
informal
be attracted to someone
To like someone in a romantic or sexual way.
Examples
- I think she really fancies him.
- Everyone knows you fancy her—it's obvious.
- He admitted he had fancied her for years.
fancy that
6/fˈænsi ðˈæt/
idiom
informal
mild expression of surprise
Used to show surprise, interest, or that you did not expect something.
Examples
- He's moving to Australia? Fancy that.
- Fancy that, we were in Paris on the same day and never met.
- She passed the exam without studying—fancy that!
fancy yourself (as)
8/fˈænsi jʊɹsˈɛlf ˈæz/
idiom
informal
think too highly of yourself
To think you are very good at something, or more important or attractive than you really are.
Examples
- He really fancies himself as a singer.
- She fancies herself an expert on art after one course.
- Don't fancy yourself so much; it was just one good game.
footloose and fancy-free
10/fˈʊtlˌus ˈænd fˈænsi fɹˈi/
idiom
informal
free and without commitments
Free to do what you want because you have no serious job, family, or romantic responsibilities.
Examples
- He spent his twenties footloose and fancy-free, travelling the world.
- Now that the kids have left home, they're footloose and fancy-free again.
- She enjoys being footloose and fancy-free after ending her long relationship.
nothing fancy
5/nˈʌθɪŋ fˈænsi/
fixed phrase
informal
simple, not special
Used to describe something that is simple and not expensive or special.
Examples
- I just made pasta for dinner—nothing fancy.
- He wore jeans and a T-shirt, nothing fancy.
- We want a small wedding, nothing fancy.
take a fancy to
9/tˈeɪk ə fˈænsi tə/
idiom
suddenly start liking
To suddenly start to like someone or something very much.
Examples
- The cat seems to have taken a fancy to you.
- She took a fancy to the little house by the river.
- He quickly took a fancy to Japanese food.
whatever you fancy
4/wˌʌtˈɛvɚ jˈu fˈænsi/
fixed phrase
informal
anything you want
Used to say that someone can choose anything they want.
Examples
- You can have whatever you fancy for dinner.
- Pick whatever you fancy from the menu.
- It's your birthday, so we'll do whatever you fancy.
flight of fancy
1/flˈaɪt əv fˈænsi/
idiom
Unrealistic imaginative idea
An idea or thought that is very imaginative but not realistic.
Examples
- Her plan to build a city on Mars was dismissed as a mere flight of fancy.
- The plan was dismissed as a mere flight of fancy.
- He often indulges in flights of fancy during long meetings.
- His novels mix fact with flights of fancy.
- Her theory is interesting, but it may be just a flight of fancy.