CONCEIT

conceit, conceitedness, vanity

(noun) the trait of being unduly vain and conceited; false pride

conceit

(noun) an artistic device or effect; “the architect’s brilliant conceit was to build the house around the tree”

conceit

(noun) a witty or ingenious turn of phrase; “he could always come up with some inspired off-the-wall conceit”

conceit

(noun) an elaborate poetic image or a far-fetched comparison of very dissimilar things

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Noun

conceit (countable and uncountable, plural conceits)

(obsolete) Something conceived in the mind; an idea, a thought. [14th–18th c.]

The faculty of conceiving ideas; mental faculty; apprehension.

Quickness of apprehension; active imagination; lively fancy.

(obsolete) Opinion, (neutral) judgment. [14th–18th c.]

(now rare, dialectal) Esteem, favourable opinion. [from 15th c.]

(countable) A novel or fanciful idea; a whim. [from 16th c.]

(countable, rhetoric, literature) An ingenious expression or metaphorical idea, especially in extended form or used as a literary or rhetorical device. [from 16th c.]

(uncountable) Overly high self-esteem; vain pride; hubris. [from 17th c.]

Design; pattern.

Verb

conceit (third-person singular simple present conceits, present participle conceiting, simple past and past participle conceited)

(obsolete) To form an idea; to think.

(obsolete, transitive) To conceive.

Source: Wiktionary

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Con*ceit", n. Etym: [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. 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. [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. Sir P. 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. Shak.

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. L'Estrange. Some to conceit alone their works confine, And glittering thoughts struck out at every line. Pope. Tasso is full of conceits . . . which are not only below the dignity of heroic verse but contrary to its nature. Dryden.

5. An overweening idea of one's self; vanity. Plumed with conceit he calls aloud. Cotton.

6. Design; pattern. [Obs.] Shak. 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 conceit with, to make one indifferent to a thing, or in a degree displeased with it.

Con*ceit", v. t.

Definition: To conceive; to imagine. [Archaic] The strong, by conceiting themselves weak, are therebly rendered as inactive . . . as if they really were so. South. One of two bad ways you must conceit me, Either a coward or a flatterer. Shak.

Con*ceit", v. i.

Definition: To form an idea; to think. [Obs.] Those whose . . . vulgar apprehensions conceit but low of matrimonial purposes. Milton.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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