English Dictionary

Studying English?

Watch tv shows, play games, become fluent in English with Yabla ... Try Free For 15 Days Learn More
Watch example usage of "conceit"
Print (save as pdf)
conceit
WIKTIONARY
conceit
Noun
  • Something conceived in the mind; an idea, a thought. [14th–18th c.] obsolete
  • The faculty of conceiving ideas; mental faculty; apprehension.
  • Quickness of apprehension; active imagination; lively fancy.
  • Opinion, (neutral) judgment. [14th–18th c.] obsolete
  • Esteem, favourable opinion. [from 15th c.] now rare, dialectal
  • A novel or fanciful idea; a whim. [from 16th c.] countable
  • An ingenious expression or metaphorical idea, especially in extended form or used as a literary or rhetorical device. [from 16th c.] countable, rhetoric, literature
  • Overly high self-esteem; vain pride; hubris. [from 17th c.] uncountable
  • Design; pattern.
Verb
  • To form an idea; to think. obsolete
  • To conceive. obsolete, transitive
BABYLON ENGLISH
conceit n.
arrogance, excessive pride, haughtiness
HENGLISH - ADVANCED VERSION
conceit
conceit
\con*ceit"\ (?), n. [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. a man wise in his own conceit. xxvi. 12.
2. faculty of conceiving ideas; mental faculty; apprehension; as, a man of quick conceit. [obs.] 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. 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.
4. a fanciful, odd, or extravagant notion; a quant 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. some to conceit alone their works confine, and glittering thoughts struck out at every line. tasso is full of conceits which are not only below the dignity of heroic verse but contrary to its nature.
5. an overweening idea of one's self; vanity. plumed with conceit he calls aloud. otton.
6. design; pattern. [obs.]
  similar words(4) 

 to put one out of conceit with 
 out of conceit with 
 with conceit 
 in conceit with 
WORDNET 2.0
conceit
Noun
1. feelings of excessive pride
(synonym) amour propre, self-love, vanity
(hypernym) pride, pridefulness
2. the trait of being vain and conceited
(synonym) vanity
(hypernym) pride
(hyponym) boastfulness, vainglory
ENGLISH WIKIPEDIA - THE FREE ENCYCLOPEDIA
Conceit
In literature, a conceit is an extended metaphor with a complex logic that governs a poetic passage or entire poem. By juxtaposing, usurping and manipulating images and ideas in surprising ways, a conceit invites the reader into a more sophisticated understanding of an object of comparison. Extended conceits in English are part of the poetic idiom of Mannerism, during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth century.
See more at Wikipedia.org...
Pronunciations In Different Accents
Click on the "audio icon" to see a list of top pronunciations in different countries/accents.