fancy

Question

Hi,Does the word 'fancy' have stronger meaning than 'like '? I mean in order to emphasize?I hear a lot people use the 'fancy' in the meaning of 'like'. /*e.g.Dear MumI didn’t really fancy buying a card for you, because I think it doesn’t really show my gratitude enough.*/Other examples which I found on google search are ...e.g. 1) I fancy my mate but she's married...2) I fancy this guy for ages Thanks in advance.

Avangi · Accepted Answer

It certainly does get your attention more than "like." One difference is, it can act as a noun as well as a verb, while "like" switches to the present participle "liking" for noun functions. In the Beetles song Rocky Racoon : "His rival it seems had broken his dreams/ By stealing the girl of his fancy." (noun) Fancy that! (verb)

That song is not to my liking. (noun) [Actually I love it.]

I don't believe it's used very much in formal applications.

Of course it has another application in the food industry which is quite official: fancy grade. (adjective)

There's a small tense problem with your last example: "I have fancied this guy for ages." or "I've fancied this guy for ages." Oh well, I guess you could say, "I fancied him for ages and then he suddenly seemed just silly." Or, in present narrative style, or whatever you call it, "I fancy this guy for ages and now look what he does to me!"

Victorycountry · Answer

Thanks, Avangi!

That's exactly what I wanted to know!

Have a lovely day ~!!

Khoff · Answer

Note, though -- "fancy" for "like" is very British!  I can't imagine an American teenager asking another, "So, which guy do you fancy?"  (unless they were pretending to be British!)

Avangi · Answer

Right on, Khoff! I believe the "older American" usages related to fantasy and imagination have also escaped the attention of the younger generation. My mother often sang a song which began, "In fancy I stood by the shore one day."

Delmobile · Answer

Yes, Khoff. Very British. In fact, I'm not sure exactly what it means used in that way: "Do you fancy him?" Is it only referring to sexual desire, or can it mean "do you think he's personable"? I"m thinking the former.

AE uses "fancy" a lot informally, but as an adjective. You might say to a litttle girl all dressed up in a pink princess gown: "Wow, that's a pretty fancy dress you have on there, sweetheart." Or when getting out the best china for a special dinner: "Let's use the fancy plates tonight."

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