Fun vs Fancy - What's the difference?
fun | fancy |
(informal) enjoyable, amusing
(informal) whimsical, flamboyant
amusement, enjoyment or pleasure
* 2000 , Robert Stanley, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Adobe Photoshop 6 , Alpha Books, page 377
playful, often noisy, activity.
(colloquial) To tease, kid, poke fun at, make fun of.
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
In colloquial terms the difference between fun and fancy
is that fun is to tease, kid, poke fun at, make fun of while fancy is unnecessarily complicated.fun
English
Adjective
(en-adj)- We had a fun time at the party.
- He is such a fun person to be with.
- This year's fashion style is much more fun than recent seasons.
Usage notes
* Note that the use of fun as an adjective is often considered unacceptable in formal contexts. For more on the slang comparative and superlative, the use of which is disputed, seethis discussion
Derived terms
* funnyNoun
(-)- Grafting your boss's face onto the hind end of a donkey is fun, but serious fun is when you create the impossible and it looks real.
Synonyms
* amusement, diversion, enjoyment, a laugh, pleasure * boisterousness, horseplay, rough and tumbleDerived terms
* for the fun of it * fun and games * fun bags * funfair * funfest * fun-loving * fun-maker * funny * fun run, fun runner, fun running * funster * good fun * great fun * have fun * have fun with * in fun * like fun * make fun of * poke fun atVerb
- Hey, don't get bent out of shape over it; I was just funning you.
Anagrams
* 1000 English basic words ----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.
