a. [f. FANCY sb. + -FUL.]
1. a. Characterized by the possession of fancy (rare). b. In disparaging sense: Disposed to indulge in fancies; whimsical.
1695. Woodward, Nat. Hist. Earth, I. 63. Some fancyful Men have expected nothing but Confusion and Ruin.
1713. Steele, The Englishman, No. 7, 200 Oct., ¶ 5. A fanciful Fellow, who amuses himself with the Woods and Mountains which he discovers in the Clouds, is angry if his Friends are not charmed with the airy Landskip.
1727. Pope, etc., Of the Art of Sinking in Poetry, 83. Reasoning from the affinity there appears between arts and sciences, I doubt not but an active catcher of butterflies, a careful and fanciful pattern-drawer, an industrious collector of shells, a laborious and tuneful bagpiper, or a diligent breeder of tame rabbits, might severally excel in their respective parts of the Bathos.
1817. Coleridge, Biog. Lit., 43. Milton had a highly imaginative, Cowley a very fanciful mind.
1874. Micklethwaite, Modern Parish Churches, 6. Fanciful people, it is true, sometimes gave mystical interpretations to the arrangements after they were made.
absol. 1676. Glanvill, Ess., vi. § 6. 17. Not only the Melancholick and the Fanciful, but the Grave and the Sober.
2. a. Characterized by or displaying fancy in design; fantastic, odd in appearance; b. suggested by fancy; imaginary, unreal.
a. 1627. Hayward, Edw. VI., 88. How foolish and fancifull were they [buildings]?
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., II. vi. 71. He [the true Church antiquary] affects not phancy-full singularity in his behaviour.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Pastorals, Preface (1721), I. 75. We, with all our fanciful Refinements, can scarely pass an autumn without some access of a fever.
1767. J. Byron, Voy. round World, 186. The other circumstances they have mentioned … appear to be merely fanciful.
1823. Scott, Peveril, xxxix. The fanciful and singular female … had one of those faces which are never seen without making an impression. Ibid. (1828), F. M. Perth, xi. She wears a petticoat … I would it were … of a less fanciful fashion.
1852. Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., xv. A variety of fanciful diseases.
1868. M. Pattison, Academ. Org., v. 193–4. The claims, however, of Art to a place in university education cannot be set aside as fanciful, now that they have received public recognition from Mr. Mill.
3. quasi-adv. = FANCIFULLY.
1775. Johnson, Let. Mrs. Thrale, 23 June. I hope you … were dressed fine and fanciful.
