fancied

English

WOTD – 20 July 2022

Etymology

From fancy (“to have a fancy for, like; to imagine, suppose”) +‎ -ed.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /ˈfænsɪd/

• Audio (GA)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: fan‧cied

Adjective

fancied (not comparable)

1. Existing only in the fancy (“imagination”); imaginary, imagined.

   Near-synonyms: conceptual, fanciful, ideal, notional

   The plant was named for its fancied resemblance to a Roman spear.

   • 1651, Thomas Hobbes, “Of the Signification of Spirit, Angel, and Inspiration in the Books of Holy Scripture”, in Leviathan, or The Matter, Forme, & Power of a Common-wealth Ecclesiasticall and Civill, London: […] [William Wilson] for Andrew Crooke, […], →OCLC, 3rd part (Of a Christian Common-wealth), page 212:

     VVhy therefore may not the Angels that appeared to Lot, […] be underſtood of images of men, ſupernaturally formed in the Fancy; as vvell as before by Angel vvas underſtood a fancyed Voice?

   • 1719, [Daniel Defoe], The Farther Adventures of Robinson Crusoe; […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC, page 352:

     That being depriv'd of all the fancy'd Felicity vvhich he enjoy'd, in the full Exerciſe of all thoſe Vices, he ſaid, he vvas at leiſure to look upon the dark Side of them, vvhere he found all manner of Deformity, and vvas novv convinc'd, that Virtue only makes a Man truly vviſe, rich and great, and preſerves him in the VVay to a ſuperior Happineſs in a future State.

   • a. 1749, James Thomson, “Ode”, in [George Lyttelton, 1st Baron Lyttelton], editor, The Works of James Thomson. […], volume II, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, […], published 1750, →OCLC, stanza III, page 220:

     Oh! if thou hover'ſt round my walk, / While, under ev'ry well-known tree, / I to thy fancy'd ſhadow talk, / And every tear is full of thee.

   • 1796, Robert Southey, “Book the Ninth”, in Joan of Arc, an Epic Poem, Bristol: […] Bulgin and Rosser, for Joseph Cottle, […], and Cadell and Davies, and G. G. and J. Robinson, […], →OCLC, page 362, lines 903–906:

     [S]till by the maid / Love went submiss, with eye more dangerous / Than fancied basilisk to wound whoe'er / Too bold approached, […]

2. Organized, or (especially of attire) designed, to suit one's fancy or whim.
   • 1688, Mat[thew] Prior, “On Exodus 3. 14. I Am that I Am. An Ode. […]”, in Poems on Several Occasions, 2nd edition, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], published 1709, →OCLC, stanza VI, page 4:

     Man does vvith dangerous Curioſity / Theſe unfathom'd VVonders try: / VVith fancy'd Rules and Arbitrary Lavvs / Matter and Motion he reſtrains, / And ſtudy'd Lines and fictious Circles dravvs; […]

3. Having a fancy (“inclination, liking, or love”) for; desired, favourite.
   • 1640, T[homas] F[uller], “Faction Confuted”, in Ioseph’s Partie-colored Coat: Containing, a Comment on Part of the 11. Chapter of the 1. Epistle of S. Paul to the Corinthians: […], London: […] Iohn Dawson, for Iohn Williams, […], →OCLC; republished as William Nichols, editor, Joseph’s Party-coloured Coat: […], London: William Tegg, 1867, →OCLC, pages 184–185:

     Now St. Paul, "not willing to make" these ministers "a public example," concealeth their persons, yet discovereth the fault; and, making bold with his brethren, Apollos and Cephas, applieth to them and himself what the Corinthians spake of their fancied preachers. "Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I am of Apollos; and I am of Cephas; and I am of Christ."

   • 1873 January 23, Robert Browning, “Part IV”, in Red Cotton Night-Cap Country: Or Turf and Towers, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC, page 245:

     I did not call him fool, and vex my friend, / But quietly allowed experiment, / Encouraged him to dust his drink, and now / Grate lignum vitæ now bruise so-called grains / Of Paradise, and now, for perfume, pour / Distilment rare, the rose of Jericho, / Holy-thorn, passion-flower, and what know I? / Till beverage obtained the fancied smack.

   • 2021 February 6, Graham Bean, “Scotland beat England at Twickenham for the first time in 38 years”, in The Scotsman‎^[1], Edinburgh: The Scotsman Publications, JPIMedia Publishing, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 10 July 2022:

     The visitors were worthy winners, taking the game to the highly fancied hosts from the first minute.

4. (obsolete) Designed in an artistic manner.
   • 1710 March 18 (Gregorian calendar), Isaac Bickerstaff [et al., pseudonyms; Richard Steele], “Tuesday, March 7, 1709–10”, in The Tatler, number 142; republished in [Richard Steele], editor, The Tatler, […], London stereotype edition, volume II, London: I. Walker and Co.;  […], 1822, →OCLC, page 331:

     His seals are curiously fancied, and exquisitely well cut, and of great use to encourage young gentlemen to write a good hand.

   • 1782, [Frances Burney], “A Sketch of High Life”, in Cecilia, or Memoirs of an Heiress. […], volume I, London: […] T[homas] Payne and Son […], and T[homas] Cadell […], →OCLC, book I, page 51:

     [T]hey have taken thoſe beautiful buckles out of her ſhoes! […] I vvonder vvho'll buy them. I aſſure you they vvere the prettieſt fancied I ever ſavv.

Translations

existing only in the fancy (“imagination”) — see imaginary

organized, or (especially of attire) designed, to suit one’s fancy or whim

having a fancy (“inclination, liking, or love”) for — see desired,‎ favourite

Verb

fancied

1. simple past and past participle of fancy

Anagrams

• faciend, fianced