Conceit

(kon-seet’), n. [O. Fr. concept, Lat. conceptus, Sp. concepto, Pg. conceito, It. concetto. See CONCEIVE.]

1Sense 1. That which is conceived, imagined, or formed in the mind; idea; thought; image; conception.

In laughing, there ever precedeth a conceit of somewhat ridiculous. Bacon.

2Sense 2. Faculty of conceiving; apprehension; understanding; 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.

3Sense 3. An ill-founded, fanciful, odd, or extravagant notion; a quaint fancy; an unnatural or affected conception; notion; fancy; freak.

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.

Strong conceit, like a new principle, carries all easily with it when yet above common sense. Locke.

4Sense 4. Opinion; estimation; especially, over-estimation of one’s self; vanity.

Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit, there is more hope of a fool than of him. Prov. xxvi. 12.

Plumed with conceit he calls aloud, And thus bespeaks the purblind crowd: “Say not that man alone’s a poet, Poets are owls—my verse shall show it.” Cotton.

Out of conceit with, not having a favorable opinion of; no longer pleased with; as, a man is out of conceit with his dress.—To put one out of conceit with, to make him indifferent to a thing, or in a degree displeased with it.

(kon-seet’), v. t. To conceive; to imagine; to think; to fancy.

The strong, by conceiting themselves weak, are thereby rendered as inactive . . . as if they really were so. Smith.

To form an idea; to think; to judge. [Obs.]

Those whose . . . vulgar apprehensions conceit but low of matrimonial purposes. Milton.