conceit

conceit
noun
  1. [mass noun]excessive pride in oneself
    自负,自高自大,骄傲自满
    he was puffed up with conceit.
    他趾高气扬,傲慢不逊。
  2. a fanciful or ingenious expression in writing or speech; an elaborate metaphor
    别出心裁(或机智离奇)的措辞;精心的比喻
    the idea of the wind's singing is a prime romantic conceit.
    风在歌唱这个意念是一种富于浪漫色彩的绝妙比喻。
    ■an artistic effect or device
    艺术效果;艺术性的计划(或设计);精美图案
    the director's brilliant conceit was to film this tale in black and white.
    导演把这个传说拍摄成黑白电影的计划很巧妙。
    ■a fanciful notion
    幻想;奇想
    he is alarmed by the widespread conceit that he spent most of the 1980s drunk.
    关于他20世纪80年代的大部分时光都是喝得醉醺醺的这种广为流传的离奇说法使他惊觉起来。
语源
  1. late Middle English (in the sense 'idea or notion', also 'quaintly decorative article'): from conceive, on the pattern of pairs such as deceive, deceit
英语宝典
考试词汇表