C — Conceit to Concern (Part 1 of 6)

Conceit
(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.

Conceit
(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.

Conceit
(Con*ceit"), v. i. To form an idea; to think. [Obs.]

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

Conceited
(Con*ceit"ed), a.

1. Endowed with fancy or imagination. [Obs.]

He was . . . pleasantly conceited, and sharp of wit.
Knolles.