fantastic, a. and n.
(fænˈtæstɪk)
Forms: α. 4 fantastik, 5–7 fantastike, -tyke, -tique, -tyque, 6–8 fantastick(e, 7– fantastic. β. 6–8 phantastick(e, 6 phantastike, 7 phantastique. 7– phantastic.
[ad. med.L. fantastic-us, late L. phantasticus, a. Gr. ϕανταστικός, f. ϕαντάζειν to make visible (middle voice ϕαντάζεσθαι, in late Gr. to imagine, have visions): see fantasy. Cf. Fr. fantastique.
The form phantastic is no longer generally current, but has been casually used by a few writers of the 19th c., to suggest associations connected with the Gr. etymology.]
A. adj.
1. † a. Existing only in imagination; proceeding merely from imagination; fabulous, imaginary, unreal (obs.). b. In mod. use, of alleged reasons, fears, etc.: Perversely or irrationally imagined.
| α a 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) V. 279 What is i-seide..of Merlyn has fantastik getynge. Ibid. VIII. 63 Kyng Arthures body [was founden] þat was i-counted as it were fantastik. 1529 More Supplic. Soulys Wks. 338 A very fantastike fable. 1627 F. E. Hist. Edw. II (1680) 11 His fantastique Happiness. 1721 Swift South Sea viii, He longs to rove in that fantastick scene. 1775 Harris Philos. Arrangem. Wks. (1841) 299 A fourth sort..may be called fantastic, or imaginary; such as centaurs. 1816 J. Wilson City of Plague i. i, I could smile at such fantastic terrors. 1876 M. Arnold Lit. & Dogma 157 His hearers and reporters were sure to verse it on their own fantastic grounds also. |
| β 1678 Cudworth Intell. Syst. 481 All those other phantastick Gods, were nothing but Several Personal Names. 1742 Young Nt. Th. i. 94 My soul phantastic measures trod O'er fairy fields. |
† 2. Pertaining to, or of the nature of, a phantasm.
Obs.| α 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 19/2 He shewed that he was veryly rysen..by etyng openly, and by no art fantastyke. 1491 ― Vitas Patr. (W. de W. 1495) i. xlii. 68 a/1 [I am] noo thynge fantastyque, but a sparcle of fyre; Asshes, and flesshe. 1598 Yong Diana 127 A meere dreame, or some fantastick illusion. 1624 Fletcher Rule a Wife iv. iii, Is not this a fantastic house we are in, And all a dream we do? 1648 Bp. Hall Rem. Wks. (1660) 198 One will allow of his humanity..another will allow a divine soul with a fantastick body. |
| β 1635 A. Stafford Fem. Glory (1869) 145 That He had a phantasticke Body, not made of his Mothers Flesh. 1691–8 Norris Pract. Disc. IV. 377 Aery Banquets, Phantastick Food. a 1716 South Serm. (1741) VII. 16 An aerial phantastic body. |
† 3. Of or pertaining to phantasy, in its various psychological senses (see
fantasy n. 1, 4) as denoting either the faculty (and act) of apprehending sensible objects, or that of imagination; imaginative.
| 1483 Caxton Cato F viij b, By cogytacyon or thynkyng fantastyke and by illusyon of the deuyll. 1592 Davies Immort. Soul xx. ii. (1599) 47 [Phantasie] in her Ballance doth their values trie, Where some things good, and som things il do seeme..in her phantasticke eye. 1649 Jer. Taylor Gt. Exemp. Pref. ¶43 There is as much phantasticke pleasure in doing a spite, as in doing revenge. 1678 Cudworth Intell. Syst. 29 The different Phancies in us, caused by the respective Differences of them..Which Phancies or Phantastick Idea's are [etc.]. 1793 T. Taylor Sallust viii. 38 The irrational soul..is sensitive and phantastic life. |
† b. Of poetry: Concerned with ‘phantasy’ (
Gr. ϕαντασία) or illusory appearance.
Obs. [See Plato
Sophistes xxiii, li. In
quot. 1581 the word may be merely a transliteration of
Gr. ϕανταστική.]
| 1581 Sidney Apol. Poetrie (Arb.) 54 Mans wit may make Poesie, (which should be Eikastike, which some learned haue defined, figuring foorth good things,) to be Phantastike: which doth contrariwise, infect the fancie with vnworthy obiects. 1669 Gale Crt. Gentiles i. iii. i. 18 Phantastic Poesie is that, which altogether feigns things. |
4. Of persons, their actions and attributes:
† a. Having a lively imagination; imaginative (
obs.).
b. Fanciful, impulsive, capricious, arbitrary; also, foppish in attire. Now in stronger sense: Extravagantly fanciful, odd and irrational in behaviour.
| α 1488 Caxton Chast. Goddes Chyld. xix. 50 Whether he haue a sadde knowyng or felinge or elles a soden wytte or fantastyk. 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. ii. vii. 47 To be fantastique, may become a youth Of greater time then I shall shew to be. 1628 Wither Brit. Rememb. ii. 1 Let no fantastique Reader now condemne Our homely Muse. 1683 Tryon Way to Health 577 The..fantastique Directions of ignorant Physitians. c 1760 Smollett Ode to Indep. 100 And all her jingling bells fantastic Folly ring. 1790 Burke Fr. Rev. 312 The fantastick vagaries of these juvenile politicians. 1847 Emerson Repr. Men, Montaigne Wks. (Bohn) I. 350 Great believers are always reckoned..impracticable, fantastic, atheistic. |
| β 1600 E. Blount tr. Conestaggio A iij b, He that talking of a young gentleman, shoulde say, that he was phantasticke, cholericke, amorous..doth hym no wrong. 1702 Steele Funeral ii, I have long..bore with your Phantastick Humour. |
5. Arbitrarily devised. Now
rare.
Cf. fancy a.
| 1658 Bramhall Consecr. Bps. iii. 29 They say..the..Protestant Bishops..were consecrated..by a new phantastick forme. 1846 Trench Mirac. i. (1862) 115 Phantastic and capricious miracles. 1876 Humphreys Coin-Coll. Man. xxvi. 396 Occasionally fantastic variations of well-known inscriptions occur. |
6. Having the appearance of being devised by extravagant fancy; eccentric, quaint, or grotesque in design, conception, construction, or adornment.
| α 1616 R. C. Times' Whistle iii. 1077 Drusus, that fashion-imitating ape, Delights to follow each fantastic shape. 1728 Young Love Fame iii. Wks. (1757) 107 The masquerade's fantastic scene! 1750 Gray Elegy xxvi, Yonder nodding beech, That wreathes its old fantastic roots so high. 1841 Spalding Italy & It. Isl. II. 221 Vaulted halls adorned with the usual fantastic arches. 1856 Stanley Sinai & Pal. i. (1858) 30 The Arab traditions..are too fantastic to be treated seriously. 1871 B. Taylor Faust (1875) I. vi. 109 The witch with fantastic gestures draws a circle. |
| β 1618 Wither Motto, Nec Curo, Each phantastique Garb our Gallants weare. a 1713 T. Ellwood Autobiog. (1714) 242 Written in such an affected and phantastick stile. |
b. Arbitrarily used by Milton for: Making ‘fantastic’ movements (in the dance); hence in later allusions to Milton's phrase. So in
Comb. fantastic-footed.
| 1632 Milton L'Allegro 33 Trip it as you go On the light fantastic toe. a 1790 Warton On Approach of Summer 59 Haste thee, Nymph! and hand in hand..Bring fantastic-footed Joy. 1826 Disraeli Viv. Grey v. xv, Mr. St. Ledger..prided himself..on his light fantastic toe. |
7. In trivial use: excellent, good beyond expectation.
colloq.| 1938 M. Allingham Fashion in Shrouds xi. 175 Oh, Val, isn't it fantastic?..It's amazing, isn't it? 1971 New Statesman 5 Feb. 176/3 A friend tells me of a recent experience..which really does rate that over-worked adjective, fantastic. 1973 Brand New Monty Python Papperbok (1986) 27 For the past seventeen weeks Janet has been on a fantastic package tour to Malaga. 1987 Los Angeles Times 5 Sept. v. 2/3 ‘Only..very nice?’ he asked woefully. ‘Oh, it's great! I mean, it's fantastic!’ |
B. n. 1. One who has fanciful ideas or indulges in wild notions.
Obs. exc. arch.| α 1598 Marston Pygmal. iii. 148 Thou art Bedlam mad..And glori'st to be counted a fantastick. 1621 Quarles Div. Poems, Esther (1717) 111 Power..to perverse fantasticks if conferr'd..spurs on wrong. 1706 E. Ward Hud. Rediv. (1715) I. vii, The Church-men justly growl to see..that the Force of Toleration..Should set each canting proud Fantastick Above their Courts Ecclesiastick. 1882 Shorthouse J. Inglesant II. xv, A Fantastic, whose brain was turned with monkish fancies. |
| β 1630 R. Brathwait Eng. Gentl. (1641) 3, I would be glad to weane this Phantasticke from a veine of lightnesse. |
| fig. 1675 G. R. tr. Le Grand's Man Without Passion 132 Opinion is the Fountain, this Fantastick which seduceth our understanding, etc. |
† 2. One given to fine or showy dress; a fop.
Obs.| a 1613 Overbury Charac., A Phantastique, An Improvident young Gallant. 1628 Milton Vac. Exerc. 20 Trimming..which takes our late fantastics with delight. a 1680 Butler Rem. (1759) II. 131 A Fantastic is one that wears his Feather on the Inside of his Head. |
† 3. A fanciful composition.
Obs.| 1641 G. H. (title), Wits Recreations, Containing..Variety of Fancies and Fantasticks. |
† 4. Power of fancy or imagination.
Obs.| 1764 Public Advertiser 31 May in N. & Q. 3rd Ser. IV. 385 It [Mozart's playing] surmounts all Fantastic and Imagination. |
5. That which is fantastic, strange, eccentric or odd.
| 1908 Daily Chron. 17 Mar. 3/3 The tradition of the fantastic which has clung to the memory of Buckingham. |