different between fancy vs infer
fancy
English
Alternative forms
- fant’sy, phancie, phancy, phansie, phansy, phant’sy (all obsolete)
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /?fæn.si/
- Rhymes: -ænsi
Etymology 1
From Middle English fansy, fantsy, a contraction of fantasy, fantasye, fantasie, from Old French fantasie, from Medieval Latin fantasia, from Late Latin phantasia (“an idea, notion, fancy, phantasm”), from Ancient Greek ???????? (phantasía), from ??????? (phantáz?, “to render visible”), from ?????? (phantós, “visible”), from ????? (phaín?, “to make visible”); from the same root as ??? (phôs, “light”). Doublet of fantasia, fantasy, phantasia, and phantasy.
Noun
fancy (plural fancies)
- The imagination.
- 1674, John Milton, Paradise Lost, Book 5, lines 100-103,[1]
- […] But know that in the soul
- Are many lesser faculties, that serve
- Reason as chief; among these Fancy next
- Her office holds […]
- 1842, Alfred Tennyson, Locksley Hall
- In the Spring a livelier iris changes on the burnish’d dove; / In the Spring a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love.
- 1861, Thomas Wentworth Higginson, “A New Counterblast” in Atlantic Monthly, December 1861, p. 700,[2]
- Rustic females who habitually chew even pitch or spruce-gum are rendered thereby so repulsive that the fancy refuses to pursue the horror farther and imagine it tobacco […]
- 1674, John Milton, Paradise Lost, Book 5, lines 100-103,[1]
- An image or representation of anything formed in the mind.
- Synonyms: conception, thought, idea
- c. 1605, William Shakespeare, Macbeth, Act III, Scene 2,[3]
- How now, my lord! why do you keep alone,
- Of sorriest fancies your companions making,
- Using those thoughts which should indeed have died
- With them they think on?
- An opinion or notion formed without much reflection.
- Synonym: impression
- 1650, John Bulwer, Anthropometamorphosis: Man Transform’d, 2nd edition, London, 1653, Epistle Dedicatory, pp. 2-3,[4]
- When you have well viewed the Scenes and Devillish shapes of this Practicall Metamorphosis, and scan’d them in your serious thoughts, you will wonder at their audacious phant’sies, who seeme to hold Specificall deformities, or that any part can seeme unhandsome in their Eyes, which hath appeared good and beautifull unto their Maker […]
- 1693, John Locke, Some Thoughts Concerning Education, 13th edition, London, 1764, §148, p. 222, [5]
- I have always had a Fancy, that Learning might be made a Play and Recreation to Children […]
- A whim.
- Synonyms: see Thesaurus:whim
- Love or amorous attachment.
- Synonyms: see Thesaurus:predilection
- The object of inclination or liking.
- c. 1595, William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act I, Scene 1,[7]
- For you, fair Hermia, look you arm yourself
- To fit your fancies to your father’s will;
- c. 1595, William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act I, Scene 1,[7]
- Any sport or hobby pursued by a group.
- Synonyms: hobby; see also Thesaurus:hobby
- The enthusiasts of such a pursuit.
- Synonyms: see Thesaurus:fan
- 1830, Thomas De Quincey, “Review of Life of Richard Bentley, D.D. by J.H. Monk, D.D.” in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 28, No. 171, September 1830, p. 446, footnote,[8]
- […] at a great book sale in London, which had congregated all the Fancy, on a copy occurring, not one of the company but ourself knew what the mystical title-page meant.
- A diamond with a distinctive colour.
- That which pleases or entertains the taste or caprice without much use or value.
- 18th century, John Mortimer, The Whole Art of Husbandry; or, The Way of Managing and Improving Land, cited in Samuel Johnson, A Dictionary of the English Language, 1755,[9]
- London-pride is a pretty fancy, and does well for borders.
- 18th century, John Mortimer, The Whole Art of Husbandry; or, The Way of Managing and Improving Land, cited in Samuel Johnson, A Dictionary of the English Language, 1755,[9]
- A bite-sized sponge cake, with a layer of cream, covered in icing.
- a French fancy; a fondant fancy; cream fancies
- (obsolete) A sort of love song or light impromptu ballad.
- c. 1596–1599, William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 2, Act III, Scene 2,[10]
- [He] sung those tunes to the overscutch’d huswifes that he heard the carmen whistle, and sware they were his fancies or his good-nights.
- c. 1596–1599, William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 2, Act III, Scene 2,[10]
- 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)
- 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.
- 2002, Elizabeth Dana Jaffe, Sherry L. Field, Linda D. Labbo, Jacks (page 26)
- 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.
- 1970, Marta Weigle, Follow my fancy: the book of jacks and jack games (page 22)
Derived terms
Translations
Adjective
fancy (comparative fancier, superlative fanciest)
- Decorative.
- Synonyms: decorative, ornate
- Antonyms: plain, simple
- Of a superior grade.
- Synonym: high-end
- Executed with skill.
- (colloquial) Unnecessarily complicated.
- Synonym: highfalutin
- Antonym: simple
- (obsolete) Extravagant; above real value.
Derived terms
- fancy man
Translations
Descendants
- ? German: fancy
- ? Norwegian Bokmål: fancy
- ? Norwegian Nynorsk: fancy
Adverb
fancy (not comparable)
- (nonstandard) In a fancy manner; fancily.
Etymology 2
From Middle English fancien, fantasien, fantesien, from Old French fantasier, from the noun (see above)).
Verb
fancy (third-person singular simple present fancies, present participle fancying, simple past and past participle fancied)
- (formal) To appreciate without jealousy or greed.
- (Britain) would like
- Synonym: feel like
- (Britain, informal) To be sexually attracted to.
- Synonym: (US) like
- (dated) To imagine, suppose.
- If our search has reached no farther than simile and metaphor, we rather fancy than know.
- 1857-1859, William Makepeace Thackeray, The Virginians
- He fancied he was welcome, because those around him were his kinsmen.
- 1895, H. G. Wells, The Time Machine Chapter X
- I fancied at first the stuff was paraffin wax, and smashed the jar accordingly. But the odor of camphor was unmistakable.
- To form a conception of; to portray in the mind.
- Synonym: imagine
- he whom I fancy, but can ne'er express
- To have a fancy for; to like; to be pleased with, particularly on account of external appearance or manners.
- (transitive) To breed (animals) as a hobby.
- 1973, American Pigeon Journal (page 159)
- I would recommend this little book very highly to anyone who fancies pigeons, novices and veterans alike.
- 1973, American Pigeon Journal (page 159)
Derived terms
- fancy man
- fancy one's chances
- fancy that
Translations
See also
- fantasy
- fancy man
- fancypants
- fancy woman
References
Further reading
- Fancy in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)
German
Etymology
Borrowed from English fancy. Doublet of Fantasie.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /?fænsi/
Adjective
fancy (not comparable)
- (colloquial, fashion) fancy
Declension
Further reading
- “fancy” in Duden online
Norwegian Bokmål
Etymology
Borrowed from English fancy.
Adjective
fancy (indeclinable)
- fancy
References
- “fancy” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
Norwegian Nynorsk
Etymology
Borrowed from English fancy.
Adjective
fancy (indeclinable)
- fancy
References
- “fancy” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.
fancy From the web:
- what fancy means
- what fancy restaurants are open
- what fancy feast and meow mix
- what fancy restaurants are near me
- what does fancy mean
- definition fancy
infer
English
Etymology
From Latin infer?, from Latin in- (“in, at, on; into”) + Latin fer? (“bear, carry; suffer”) (cognate to Old English beran, whence English bear), from Proto-Italic *fer?, from Proto-Indo-European *b?éreti (“to bear, carry”), from the root *b?er-. Literally “carry forward”, equivalent to “bear in”, as in concluding from a premise.
Pronunciation
- (General American) IPA(key): /?n?f?/
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /?n?f??/
- Rhymes: -??(?)
Verb
infer (third-person singular simple present infers, present participle inferring, simple past and past participle inferred)
- (transitive) To introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence. [from 16th c.]
- 2010, "Keep calm, but don't carry on", The Economist, 7 Oct 2010:
- It is dangerous to infer too much from martial bluster in British politics: at the first hint of trouble, channelling Churchill is a default tactic for beleaguered leaders of all sorts.
- 2010, "Keep calm, but don't carry on", The Economist, 7 Oct 2010:
- (transitive) To lead to (something) as a consequence; to imply. (Now often considered incorrect, especially with a person as subject.) [from 16th c.]
- a. 1535, Thomas More, letter to Fryth
- the fyrste parte is not the proofe of the second. but rather contrarywyse the seconde inferreth well y? fyrst.
- a. 1535, Thomas More, letter to Fryth
- (obsolete) To cause, inflict (something) upon or to someone. [16th-18th c.]
- 1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, VI.8:
- faire Serena […] fled fast away, afeard / Of villany to be to her inferd […].
- 1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, VI.8:
- (obsolete) To introduce (a subject) in speaking, writing etc.; to bring in. [16th–18th c.]
Usage notes
There are two ways in which the word "infer" is sometimes used as if it meant "imply". "Implication" is done by a person when making a "statement", whereas "inference" is done to a proposition after it had already been made or assumed. Secondly, the word "infer" can sometimes be used to mean "allude" or "express" in a suggestive manner rather than as a direct "statement". Using the word "infer" in this sense is now generally considered incorrect. [1] [2]
Synonyms
- assume, conclude, deduce, educe, construe
Related terms
- inferable
- inference
- illative
- illation
- -ferous (-iferous)
Translations
Anagrams
- -frine, Finer, finer, frine
Latin
Pronunciation
- (Classical) IPA(key): /?in.fer/, [???f?r]
- (Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): /?in.fer/, [?inf?r]
Verb
?nfer
- second-person singular present active imperative of ?nfer?
References
- infer in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- infer in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré Latin-Français, Hachette
infer From the web:
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- what inference does the narrator make
- what inference about the 1920s is supported by this illustration
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