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Dear
Definitions
- 1 High in price; expensive. Ireland, UK
"The dearer the jewel, the greater the love expressed."
- 2 Severe, or severely affected; sore.
- 3 Loved; lovable.
""Yes, children dear, wait a bit till it turns itself," she answered - she ought to have said "till I turn it"[.]"
- 4 Fierce. obsolete
"The Christens found the heathens dear, as the lion doth the bear."
- 5 Lovely; kind.
""I've never met the kind of man I mean." "Tell me about him. What does he look like?" "Oh, he might look very much like you." "How dear of you to say that!""
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- 6 Loving, affectionate, heartfelt
"Such dear embrace tenderly comforts even in this dear sorrow."
- 7 Precious to or greatly valued by someone.
"The dearer the giver, the dearer the trinket he brings!"
- 8 A formal way to start (possibly after my) addressing somebody at the beginning of a letter, memo etc.
"Dear Sir/Madam/Miss, please notice our offices will be closed during the following bank holidays:[…]."
- 9 A formal way to start (often after my) addressing somebody one likes or regards kindly.
"My dear friend, I feel better as soon as you come sit beside my sickbed!"
- 10 An ironic way to start (often after my) addressing an inferior or someone one dislikes.
"My dear man, you ought to think twice about who you're trying to blackmail."
- 11 Noble. obsolete
- 1 with or in a close or intimate relationship wordnet
- 2 having a high price wordnet
- 3 dearly loved wordnet
- 4 sincerely earnest wordnet
- 1 Dearly; at a high price.
"If thou attempt it, it will cost thee dear."
- 1 at a great cost wordnet
- 2 with affection wordnet
- 1 Indicating surprise, pity, or disapproval.
"Dear, dear! Whatever were they thinking?"
- 1 A surname.
- 1 A very kind, loving person.
"My little cousin is such a dear, always drawing me pictures."
- 2 a beloved person; used as terms of endearment wordnet
- 3 A beloved person.
- 4 a sweet innocent mild-mannered person (especially a child) wordnet
- 5 An affectionate, familiar term of address, such as used between husband and wife.
"Pass me the salt, would you dear?"
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- 6 An elderly person, especially a woman.
- 1 To endear. obsolete
"Nor should a Sonne his Sire loue for reward, But for he is his Sire, in nature dear’d."
Etymology
From Middle English dere, from Old English dīere (“of great value or excellence, expensive, beloved”), from Proto-West Germanic *diurī, from Proto-Germanic *diurijaz (“dear, precious, expensive”). Cognate with Scots dere, deir (“of great value or worth, highly valued, precious, beloved”), Saterland Frisian djuur (“precious, dear, costly, expensive”), Dutch duur (“costly, precious”), German teuer (“costly, precious”), German Low German düür, Danish dyr (“expensive”), Swedish dyr (“expensive”), Norwegian dyr (“expensive”), Icelandic dýr (“expensive”), Yiddish טייַער (tayer, “precious, expensive”).
From Middle English dere, from Old English dīere (“of great value or excellence, expensive, beloved”), from Proto-West Germanic *diurī, from Proto-Germanic *diurijaz (“dear, precious, expensive”). Cognate with Scots dere, deir (“of great value or worth, highly valued, precious, beloved”), Saterland Frisian djuur (“precious, dear, costly, expensive”), Dutch duur (“costly, precious”), German teuer (“costly, precious”), German Low German düür, Danish dyr (“expensive”), Swedish dyr (“expensive”), Norwegian dyr (“expensive”), Icelandic dýr (“expensive”), Yiddish טייַער (tayer, “precious, expensive”).
From Middle English dere, from Old English dīere (“of great value or excellence, expensive, beloved”), from Proto-West Germanic *diurī, from Proto-Germanic *diurijaz (“dear, precious, expensive”). Cognate with Scots dere, deir (“of great value or worth, highly valued, precious, beloved”), Saterland Frisian djuur (“precious, dear, costly, expensive”), Dutch duur (“costly, precious”), German teuer (“costly, precious”), German Low German düür, Danish dyr (“expensive”), Swedish dyr (“expensive”), Norwegian dyr (“expensive”), Icelandic dýr (“expensive”), Yiddish טייַער (tayer, “precious, expensive”).
From Middle English dere, from Old English dīere (“of great value or excellence, expensive, beloved”), from Proto-West Germanic *diurī, from Proto-Germanic *diurijaz (“dear, precious, expensive”). Cognate with Scots dere, deir (“of great value or worth, highly valued, precious, beloved”), Saterland Frisian djuur (“precious, dear, costly, expensive”), Dutch duur (“costly, precious”), German teuer (“costly, precious”), German Low German düür, Danish dyr (“expensive”), Swedish dyr (“expensive”), Norwegian dyr (“expensive”), Icelandic dýr (“expensive”), Yiddish טייַער (tayer, “precious, expensive”).
From Middle English dere, from Old English dīere (“of great value or excellence, expensive, beloved”), from Proto-West Germanic *diurī, from Proto-Germanic *diurijaz (“dear, precious, expensive”). Cognate with Scots dere, deir (“of great value or worth, highly valued, precious, beloved”), Saterland Frisian djuur (“precious, dear, costly, expensive”), Dutch duur (“costly, precious”), German teuer (“costly, precious”), German Low German düür, Danish dyr (“expensive”), Swedish dyr (“expensive”), Norwegian dyr (“expensive”), Icelandic dýr (“expensive”), Yiddish טייַער (tayer, “precious, expensive”).
From Middle English dere (“fierce, severe, hard, deadly”), from Old English dēor, dȳr (“brave, bold; severe, dire, vehement”), from Proto-Germanic *deuzaz. Cognate with the above.
English surname, related to the adjective dear and noun deer (from Old English deor (“wild animal”), used in many senses).
See also for "dear"
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