fancied

Fancied is the past tense and past participle of the verb fancy. In standard British English, fancy is used to express both a liking or desire for something or someone and the act of imagining or supposing something. When used to indicate desire or attraction, it appears in statements such as “I fancied a cup of tea” or “She fancied him.” When used to indicate imagination, it can appear in phrases like “I fancied it would rain” or “He fancied there was a chance.” The form can also describe a provisional belief or impression based on imagination, as in “a fancied danger,” though this sense is less common and often sounds dated.

Etymology and sense development: The verb fancy derives from Middle English via Old French fantasie, ultimately tracing to Latin phantasia and Greek phantasia, concepts tied to imagination and appearance. The past tense fancied follows regular English verb conjugation.

Usage notes and regional variation: In American English, the past tense fancied is less common; speakers often use “liked,” “wanted,” or “felt like.” The expression “to take a fancy to” means to develop a liking for something or someone, as in “She took a fancy to the puppy.” The exclamation “fancy that” expresses mild surprise or disbelief. Overall, fancied shows flexibility across attraction, preference, and imagined scenarios within varieties of English.