feyer
feyer — adjective
- feyerpositive
- feyerercomparative
- feyerestsuperlative
1. so marked by fate that death seems certain and near, as if carrying an inescapab
so marked by fate that death seems certain and near, as if carrying an inescapable curse.
The old captain felt fey on the morning of his final voyage.
Rafael had a fey look that worried the nurses watching over him.
fey look (collocation for deathly appearance)
The wounded wolf gave a fey howl before it collapsed in the snow.
Sana spoke of her ancestors with a fey certainty that she would join them soon.
文法句型
be + fey (predicative)
fey + noun (attributive)
用法筆記
This sense is almost exclusively found in literary or poetic writing. In modern conversation the word is essentially unknown, so learners should recognise it in reading rather than attempt to produce it.
常見錯誤
2. filled with a dark certainty that a terrible event, especially a death or a disa
filled with a dark certainty that a terrible event, especially a death or a disaster, will happen soon.
A fey silence fell over the village just before the earthquake struck.
fey silence (collocation for ominous calm)
Inês felt a fey chill as she walked past the abandoned hospital wing.
The fey glow of the moon through the fog made the rescue team hesitate.
A fey wind blew through the camp on the night before the avalanche.
- cheerful
ordinary opposite; no ominous quality
- auspicious
formal opposite suggesting favourable signs
文法句型
fey + noun (atmosphere, silence, mood)
be/felt + fey (of a mood or atmosphere)
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 describes a person who is doomed, whereas sense 2 describes an atmosphere or phenomenon that carries an ominous message. The object of the foreboding is usually death or large-scale disaster, not mundane misfortune.
常見錯誤
3. having the supernatural ability to perceive or predict future events before they
having the supernatural ability to perceive or predict future events before they happen.
The village elder was considered fey because she foretold the drought weeks ahead.
be + fey (predicative, describing a visionary person)
Joon's fey grandmother told him exactly when the monsoon rains would break.
The fey prophetess warned the kingdom about the approaching war at the feast.
Liang had a fey certainty about which horse would win every race that season.
- visionary
can also mean 'imaginative' without implying real foresight
- prophetic
broader; can refer to religious prophecy or bold predictions
- clairvoyant
more technical; used in paranormal contexts
- blind
metaphorical opposite; unable to see what is coming
文法句型
be + fey (of a person with foresight)
fey + noun (prophet, vision, warning)
用法筆記
The prediction in this sense is always presented as genuine supernatural insight, not mere strong intuition. In older texts the word could imply the person was cursed to see the future without being able to change it.
常見錯誤
4. having an eerie, elfin quality that makes a person, place, or thing seem to belo
having an eerie, elfin quality that makes a person, place, or thing seem to belong to a magical realm rather than the real world.
Brian stumbled into a fey grove where tiny blue flowers gave off a soft light.
Talia's garden had a fey quality, with mushrooms in a perfect ring near the pond.
fey quality (collocation for magical atmosphere)
The old fiddler played a fey tune that made the whole pub fall silent.
The castle ruins had a fey beauty that photographs could never quite capture.
Asher painted a fey landscape full of silver trees and a moon that never set.
- elfin
more specific to the appearance of a person; less atmospheric
- otherworldly
more general; can describe anything foreign or alien, not just magical
- ethereal
emphasises delicacy and lightness over strangeness
文法句型
fey + noun (beauty, landscape, charm, atmosphere)
look/feel + fey (of a place or thing)
用法筆記
This sense carries a positive or at least fascinated tone — the strangeness is captivating, not frightening. Contrast with sense 2, where the same kind of strangeness signals disaster.
常見錯誤
5. showing signs of mild mental disturbance in a harmless, often endearing way.
showing signs of mild mental disturbance in a harmless, often endearing way.
The fey old gentleman fed the pigeons from his hat every morning at eight.
fey + noun (attributive, describing an eccentric person)
Kian smiled in a fey way that made people wonder what he was thinking.
Some in the village called Niran fey because he had long conversations with his dog.
The woman who collected stray buttons and sewed them onto every coat was considered fey.
文法句型
be + fey (of a person's mental state)
fey + noun (look, smile, habit, uncle)
用法筆記
Unlike clinical terms for mental illness, this sense carries a patient, often affectionate tone — the person is odd but not dangerous. The behaviour is striking enough to be noticed but not severe enough to require intervention.
常見錯誤
6. carried to an extreme of delicacy and elegance in taste or behaviour, to the poi
carried to an extreme of delicacy and elegance in taste or behaviour, to the point of seeming unnatural or affected.
The art critic described the singer's fey manner as charming but insufferably refined.
fey manner (collocation for affected refinement)
Kemi found the poet's fey performance a little too precious for her taste.
The tiny sandwiches were served on fey china plates painted with roses and gold trim.
The elderly gentleman's fey way of raising his little finger while drinking tea amused everyone.
文法句型
fey + noun (manner, style, taste, performance)
be + fey (of a person's style)
用法筆記
This sense is mildly critical — it describes someone who tries too hard to appear refined. It is not a compliment, though the disapproval is usually gentle and amused rather than harsh.
常見錯誤
7. pleasantly odd in a stylish, playful, and self-aware way that does not take itse
pleasantly odd in a stylish, playful, and self-aware way that does not take itself seriously.
The shop window displayed vintage feather boas and fey hats covered in plastic fruit.
Christopher decorated his apartment in a delightfully fey Victorian carnival style.
The local theatre put on a wonderfully fey production of the old musical.
The costume party had a fey theme, with guests mixing clothes from five different decades.
There was something fey about mixing old lace with neon sneakers and making it work.
- conventional
following accepted norms; the opposite of playful eccentricity
- serious
marks the absence of playful self-awareness
文法句型
fey + noun (style, humour, costume, party)
be + fey (of fashion or culture)
用法筆記
This is the most modern-feeling sense of the word. It describes deliberate, playful eccentricity in fashion, art, or entertainment — the kind of oddness that is cultivated for effect rather than arising from innocence or madness.