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.
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 of conceit
with, to make one indifferent to a thing, or in a
degree displeased with it.
Con*ceit" (?), v. t. 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. To form an
idea; to think. [Obs.]
Those whose . . . vulgar apprehensions
conceit but low of matrimonial purposes.
Milton.
