fancy
gb/fˈænsi/ us/fˈænsi/
B1
Engels
~ 6900
Betekenissen
0 betekenissen
adjective
B1
property
1
expensive, stylish, or elaborate
Looking very nice, smart, or special, and often costing more than normal.
Gebruikspatroon:
a/an fancy [noun]
Veelgemaakte fout:
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.
Synoniemen
luxurious (Sounds slightly more formal and often suggests higher quality or comfort, not just appearance.)
Antoniemen
plain (Describes something simple and without decoration, the opposite of stylish or elaborate.)
Woordcombinaties
fancy restaurant
|fancy hotel
|fancy car
|fancy party
|fancy shoes
|nothing fancy
Thema's
daily_life
|shopping
|appearance
|clothing
Voorbeelden
- They booked a fancy restaurant for their anniversary.
- I don't need anything fancy, just a simple black dress.
- He showed up in a fancy car and an expensive suit.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
- We went to a fancy hotel by the sea.
- She wore a fancy dress to the wedding.
- This cake looks very fancy with all the flowers on top.
Werkwoord
informal
B1
state
2
to want or feel like
To want something, or to feel that you would like to do something.
Gebruikspatroon:
to fancy [something] / fancy doing [something]
Veelgemaakte fout:
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.
Synoniemen
feel like (Very close in meaning; slightly more neutral and common in both British and American English.)
Antoniemen
not be in the mood for (Shows that you do not want something at that moment.)
Woordcombinaties
fancy a drink
|fancy a coffee
|fancy going
|do you fancy…?
|fancy a walk
|fancy something sweet
Thema's
daily_life
|food_and_drink
|socializing
|core_vocabulary
Voorbeelden
- Do you fancy a drink after work?
- I don't fancy going out tonight; it's too cold.
- If you fancy something sweet, there's ice cream in the freezer.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
- Do you fancy a coffee?
- I fancy staying at home this evening.
- She doesn't fancy watching a movie right now.
Werkwoord
informal
B2
state
3
to be attracted to someone
To like someone in a romantic or sexual way.
Gebruikspatroon:
to fancy [someone]
Veelgemaakte fout:
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.
Synoniemen
have a crush on (Often suggests a strong, sometimes childish or one-sided romantic feeling.)
Antoniemen
be turned off by (Means to feel a lack of attraction or even a feeling of dislike in a romantic or sexual way.)
Woordcombinaties
really fancy someone
|secretly fancy
|I fancy him
|I fancy her
|fancy each other
|clearly fancy
Thema's
relationships
|emotions
Voorbeelden
- I really fancy her, but I'm too shy to say anything.
- You can tell he fancies you by the way he looks at you.
- I used to fancy him at school, but now we're just friends.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
- She thinks he really fancies her.
- I don't fancy him; he's just a friend.
- They both fancy each other, but no one wants to speak first.
adjective
B2
property
4
advanced or complicated
Very advanced or complicated, often with many special features.
Gebruikspatroon:
fancy [device/thing/feature]
Veelgemaakte fout:
Learners sometimes think 'fancy' here only means 'beautiful'. In this sense it often means technologically advanced or complex, not just nice-looking.
Synoniemen
sophisticated (More formal; often suggests advanced, well-designed systems or technology.)
Antoniemen
basic (Describes something simple and without extra or advanced features.)
Woordcombinaties
fancy software
|fancy camera
|fancy features
|fancy graphics
|fancy title
|fancy technology
Thema's
technology
|work_and_study
|core_vocabulary
Voorbeelden
- You don't need any fancy software to do this job.
- He bought a fancy camera with lots of special lenses.
- The website looks nice, but all those fancy graphics slow it down.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
- My phone is not very fancy, but it works.
- This app has some fancy tools that I don't use.
- We don't need a fancy program, just a simple one.
Zelfstandig naamwoord
C1
entity
5
a liking or desire
A feeling that you like something or want it, often suddenly and without a strong reason.
Gebruikspatroon:
to have a fancy for [something/someone]
Veelgemaakte fout:
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.
Synoniemen
liking (More common and straightforward; does not carry the same sense of sudden or whimsical desire.)
Antoniemen
dislike (The opposite feeling of not liking something or someone.)
Woordcombinaties
have a fancy for
|take a fancy to
|a passing fancy
|childhood fancy
|romantic fancy
|idle fancy
Thema's
emotions
|relationships
Voorbeelden
- He's always had a fancy for old jazz records.
- It was just a passing fancy; she soon forgot about it.
- As a child, he nurtured a romantic fancy of becoming a pirate.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
- He has a fancy for sweet food.
- Her love of horses started as a simple fancy.
- I thought it was real love, but maybe it was only a fancy.
Zelfstandig naamwoord
literary
C2
entity
6
imagination or fantasy
The power of the mind to create pictures or ideas that are not real.
Gebruikspatroon:
the realm of fancy
Veelgemaakte fout:
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.
Synoniemen
imagination (The normal, modern word; 'fancy' in this sense is more literary or old-fashioned.)
Antoniemen
reality (Refers to what actually exists, as opposed to what is imagined.)
Woordcombinaties
flight of fancy
|pure fancy
|wild fancy
|product of fancy
|idle fancy
Thema's
emotions
|arts
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Voorbeelden
- The story is more a work of fancy than of fact.
- His wild fancy carried him to distant, imaginary lands.
- She dismissed the rumor as mere fancy.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
- The book is full of magic and fancy.
- As a child, he lived in a world of fancy.
- This idea is just fancy, not reality.
Werkwoord
literary
C1
action
7
to imagine or suppose
To think something is true or to imagine something, usually without strong reasons.
Gebruikspatroon:
to fancy (that) [clause]
Veelgemaakte fout:
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.
Synoniemen
imagine (More common and neutral; 'fancy' here often sounds old-fashioned or ironic.)
Antoniemen
know (To be sure about something because of facts, not just imagination or belief.)
Woordcombinaties
fancy that
|I fancied that
|you might fancy that
|I fancy he will
|one might fancy
Thema's
thinking
|emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Voorbeelden
- For a moment, she fancied that she heard her name.
- You might fancy that money brings happiness, but it often does not.
- He fancied himself a great poet, though he had never published a line.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
- Sometimes I fancy that my phone is listening to me.
- He fancied that the old house was haunted.
- She fancied herself very important at work.
Grammatica
Lemmavorm
fancy
IPA
GB/fˈænsi/
US/fˈænsi/
Lettergrepen en klemtoon
fancy (1 lettergreep)
Stress on 1st syllable (fancy)
Woordvormen
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
Woordfamilie
Uitdrukkingen
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.
Voorbeelden
- 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.
Voorbeelden
- 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.
Voorbeelden
- 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.
Voorbeelden
- 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.
Voorbeelden
- 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.
Voorbeelden
- 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.
Voorbeelden
- 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.
Voorbeelden
- 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.
Voorbeelden
- 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.
Voorbeelden
- 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.
Voorbeelden
- 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.