conceit
NounOpen English WordNet
Noun (5)
- feelings of excessive prideSynonyms: amour propreself-lovevanityType of pride, pridefulness
- an elaborate poetic image or a far-fetched comparison of very dissimilar thingsType of trope, figure of speech
- a witty or ingenious turn of phrase“he could always come up with some inspired off-the-wall conceit”Type of turn of phrase, turn of expression
- an artistic device or effect“the architect's brilliant conceit was to build the house around the tree”Type of device
- the trait of being unduly vain and conceited; false prideSynonyms: conceitednessvanityOpposite humblenessType of traitKinds egotism, self-love, boastfulness, posturing
What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz
Webster's Dictionary (1913)
Origin: Through French, fr. L. conceptus a conceiving, conception, fr. concipere to conceive: cf. OF. p. p. nom. conciez conceived. See Conceive, and cf. Concept, Deceit.
1. That which is conceived, imagined, or formed in the mind; idea; thought; image; conception.
In laughing, there ever procedeth a conceit of somewhat ridiculous.— Francis, Baron Verulam Bacon
A man wise in his own conceit.— Prov. xxvi. 12.
2. Faculty of conceiving ideas; mental faculty; apprehension; as, a man of quick conceit. obsolete
How often, alas! did her eyes say unto me that they loved! and yet I, not looking for such a matter, had not my conceit open to understand them.— Sir Philip Sidney
3. Quickness of apprehension; active imagination; lively fancy.
His wit's as thick as Tewksbury mustard; there's more conceit in him than is in a mallet.— William Shakespeare
4. A fanciful, odd, or extravagant notion; a quaint fancy; an unnatural or affected conception; a witty thought or turn of expression; a fanciful device; a whim; a quip.
On his way to the gibbet, a freak took him in the head to go off with a conceit.— Sir Roger L'Estrange
Some to conceit alone their works confine, And glittering thoughts struck out at every line.— Alexander Pope
Tasso is full of conceits... which are not only below the dignity of heroic verse but contrary to its nature.— John Dryden
5. An overweening idea of one's self; vanity.
Plumed with conceit he calls aloud.— Charles Cotton
6. Design; pattern. obsolete William Shakespeare
In conceit with, in accord with; agreeing or conforming. — Out of conceit with, not having a favorable opinion of; not pleased with; as, a man is out of conceit with his dress. — To put [one] out of conceit with, to make one indifferent to a thing, or in a degree displeased with it.
To conceive; to imagine. archaic
The strong, by conceiting themselves weak, are therebly rendered as inactive... as if they really were so.— Robert South
One of two bad ways you must conceit me, Either a coward or a flatterer.— William Shakespeare
To form an idea; to think. obsolete
Those whose... vulgar apprehensions conceit but low of matrimonial purposes.— John Milton
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54