Conceit, n.
Etymology: [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.
2 more senses
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.
2 other Webster entries under this spelling
Conceit, 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, v. i.
To form an idea; to think. [Obs.] Those whose . . . vulgar apprehensions conceit but low of matrimonial purposes. Milton.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for conceit; he lists it under egotism, fancy, idea, pride.
Where he writes about it:
Conceit is a briefer expression for self-conceit, with always an offensive implication; self-conceit is ridiculous or pitiable; conceit arouses resentment. — from egotism
An intellectual fancy is a mental image or picture founded upon slight or whimsical association or resemblance; a conceit has less of the picturesque and more of the theoretic than a fancy; a conceit is somewhat aside from the common laws of reasoning, as a fancy is lighter and more airy than the common mode of thought. — from fancy
A conceit or fancy may be wholly unfounded, while a conception always has, or is believed to have, some answering reality. (Compare reason.) An intellectual fancy or conceit may be pleasing or amusing, but is never worth serious discussion; we speak of a mere fancy, a droll or odd conceit. — from fancy
Conceit and vanity are associated with weakness, pride with strength. — from pride
Conceit may be founded upon nothing; pride is founded upon something that one is, or has, or has done; vanity, too, is commonly founded on something real, tho far slighter than would afford foundation for pride. — from pride
Conceit is somewhat stronger than self-conceit. — from pride
Self-conceit is ridiculous; conceit is offensive. — from pride