Fancy vs Beautiful - What's the difference?
fancy | beautiful |
The imagination.
* Milton
An image or representation of anything formed in the mind; conception; thought; idea.
* Shakespeare
An opinion or notion formed without much reflection; an impression.
* John Locke
A whim.
Love or amorous attachment.
The object of inclination or liking.
* Shakespeare
Any sport or hobby pursued by a group.
The enthusiasts of such a pursuit.
* De Quincey
A diamond with a distinctive colour.
That which pleases or entertains the taste or caprice without much use or value.
* Mortimer
(obsolete) A sort of love song or light impromptu ballad.
In the game of jacks, a style of play involving additional actions (contrasted with plainsies).
* 1970 , Marta Weigle, Follow my fancy: the book of jacks and jack games (page 22)
* 2002 , Elizabeth Dana Jaffe, ?Sherry L. Field, ?Linda D. Labbo, Jacks (page 26)
Decorative.
Of a superior grade.
Executed with skill.
(colloquial) Unnecessarily complicated.
(obsolete) Extravagant; above real value.
* Macaulay
(formal) To appreciate without jealousy or greed.
(British) would like
(British, informal) To be sexually attracted to.
(dated) To imagine, suppose.
* John Locke
* Thackeray
* 1895 , H. G. Wells, The Time Machine Chapter X
To form a conception of; to portray in the mind; to imagine.
* Dryden
To have a fancy for; to like; to be pleased with, particularly on account of external appearance or manners.
* Shakespeare
Attractive and possessing charm.
* {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
, chapter=5 (of the weather) Pleasant; clear.
Well executed.
(as a pro-sentence ) How beautiful that is!
(as a pro-sentence; ironic ) How unfortunate that is!
As adjectives the difference between fancy and beautiful
is that fancy is decorative while beautiful is attractive and possessing charm.As a noun fancy
is the imagination.As a verb fancy
is (formal) to appreciate without jealousy or greed.fancy
English
Alternative forms
* (all obsolete)Noun
(fancies)- In the soul / Are many lesser faculties, that serve / Reason as chief. Among these fancy next / Her office holds.
- How now, my lord! why do you keep alone, / Of sorriest fancies your companions making?
- I have always had a fancy that learning might be made a play and recreation to children.
- I had a fancy to learn to play the flute.
- He took a fancy to her.
- to fit your fancies to your father's will
- Trainspotting is the fancy of a special lot.
- the cat fancy
- He fell out of favor with the boxing fancy after the incident.
- a great book sale in London, which had congregated all the fancy
- London pride is a pretty fancy for borders.
- (Shakespeare)
- When you have mastered plainsies, the regular jack game, and have learned all the rules, you will be ready to use this part of the book. A fancy is a variation of plainsies which usually requires more skill than plainsies does.
- When you get good at jacks, try adding a fancy . A fancy is an extra round at the end of a game. It makes the game a little harder. Jack Be Nimble, Around the World, or Black Widow are some fancies.
Derived terms
* flight of fancy * tickle someone's fancyAdjective
(er)- This is a fancy shawl.
- This box contains bottles of the fancy grade of jelly.
- He initiated the game winning play with a fancy , deked saucer pass to the winger.
- I'm not keen on him and his fancy ideas.
- This anxiety never degenerated into a monomania, like that which led his [Frederick the Great's] father to pay fancy prices for giants.
Synonyms
* (decorative) decorative, ornate * (unnecessarily complicated) highfalutinAntonyms
* (decorative) plain, simple * (unnecessarily complicated) simpleVerb
(en-verb)- I fancy your new car, but I like my old one just fine.
- I fancy a burger tonight for dinner
- Do you fancy going to town this weekend?
- I fancy that girl over there.
- I fancy you'll want something to drink after your long journey.
- Fancy meeting you here!
- Fancy that! I saw Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy kissing in the garden.
- If our search has reached no farther than simile and metaphor, we rather fancy than know.
- He fancied he was welcome, because those around him were his kinsmen.
- I fancied at first the stuff was paraffin wax, and smashed the jar accordingly. But the odor of camphor was unmistakable.
- he whom I fancy , but can ne'er express
- We fancy not the cardinal.
Synonyms
* (be sexually attracted to) like (US) * (would like to) feel likeDerived terms
* fancy thatSee also
* fantasy * fancy man * fancy oneself * fancypants * fancy womanExternal links
*beautiful
English
Adjective
(en adjective)citation, passage=‘It's rather like a beautiful Inverness cloak one has inherited. Much too good to hide away, so one wears it instead of an overcoat and pretends it's an amusing new fashion.’}}
- (referring to an athlete catching a ball)