fancy v.
1. to find attractive; esp. in phr. I could fancy that, used of a passing attractive member of the opposite sex; thus fancy the knickers/pants off v.; fanciable adj., attractive.
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | ‘The Cumberland Lass’ in Merry Songs and Ballads (1897) I 152: Her Father lov’d her passing well, / So did her Brother fancy Nell. | |
 | [song title] [of philandering men] ‘You Fancy Yourselves, Do You!’ . | |
| Trilby 328: I suppose she’d already begun to fancy you, my friend. | |
| Carry on, Jeeves 5: I had on a rather sprightly young check that morning, to which I was a good deal attached; I fancied it, in fact, more than a little. | |
| Fings I i: Fank gawd she fancied me. | |
| Crust on its Uppers 57: Colonel Bulbul [...] fancied her like mad. | |
| (con. 1940s) Danger Tree 181: I must say [...] I rather fancy him. | |
| Shortest Way to Hades (1986) 80: She was looking quite fanciable. | |
| in Little Legs 21: She can see that I really am fancying her. | |
![[Ire]](/static/img/flags/ire.png "Ireland") | Salesman 36: All the girls in school fancy the knickers off Paul. But I prefer George, he looks more sad. | |
| Indep. on Sun. Real Life 23 Jan. 4: Everyone else is heterosexual and involved in snogging and fancying members of the opposite sex. | |
| Indep. Mag. 12 May 62: I’m one of those women who men either fancy the pants off or they don’t get it at all. | |
| Desperately Seeking Sex and Sobriety 81: She is flirting with me but I am still sober, I don’t fancy her. |
2. for a gambler to select as worthy of a bet, usu. of a horse or dog.
| Fings I i: Wot d’ yer fancy for the two fifteen? So do I? Ah, Pretty Girl. | |
| Down and Out 87: What do you fancy for the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket? |
3. UK Und. to challenge [SE fancy one’s chances].
| Boss of Britain’s Underworld 155: If someone fancies you, it’s got to be on him. It’s out with the chiv, a few stripes [...] and that’s his lot. |
In phrases
a joking reflex comment when two young men see two women, irrespective of their real charms.
| All Night Stand 145: ‘Don’t fancy yours,’ he smiled with a grimace. | |
| Viz June/July 3: Oh dear, I don’t fancy yours much. | |
| posting at www.allthingszombie.com 18 Sept. 🌐 I like the redhead... but I don’t fancy yours much. |
SE in slang uses
In phrases
to feel confident of success.
![[Aus]](/static/img/flags/aus.png "Australia") | Bulletin (Sydney) 17 Mar. 26/1: [He] had a horse called Perisher entered for the big handicap. Blank had gone to great trouble over his training, and fancied his chances. | |
| Inimitable Jeeves 167: Against Mr Little, whose chances he does not seem to fancy. | |
| West in Decadence and Other Plays (1985) 92: You fancy not my chances with this Kong? | |
| Traveller’s Tool 113: Remember when you’re on his show that old Clive fancies his chances as a comic. |
to have a (smugly) good opinion of oneself.
| Dagonet Ballads 77: He fancies hissef in a orfice, a-fillin’ o’ books with his scrawl. | |
| Robbery Under Arms (1922) 280: Along with the whacking big reward that was offered for all of us, a good many coves as fancied themselves a bit had turned amateur policemen. | |
| Daily Tel. 14 Dec. in (1909) 127/1: They had never known a Government which, if he might use the language of the street, ‘fancied itself’ to the extent to which the present Government did. | |
| Marvel 13 Oct. 328: If I’m not mistaken that youngster’s got in him the stuff to lick you, though you fancy yourself so much. | |
| Psmith in the City (1993) 118: He rather fancied himself in towels. | |
| Carry on, Jeeves 45: ‘Not the blue with the faint red stripe, sir.’ ‘But I rather fancy myself in it.’. | |
| (con. 1941) Twenty Thousand Thieves 175: Fancies himself, the bloody Commo. | |
![[Scot]](/static/img/flags/sco.png "Scotland") | Filth 243: This Dr Rossi cunt fancies himself. Swarthy eyetie bastard. | |
| Guardian G2 20 Mar. 18: Fancy yourself, do you, big boy? |