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
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
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