dear

Study(21)

/dɪə/

adj 7noun 4verb 1adv 1intj 1

Collocations

ADJ.

all, little, living, short, under

She held her little dear one close as they walked through the park.

VERB + DEAR

book, confuse, cost, cry, dare, found, go, heathens

The high price of fuel will cost dear if you drive that old car every day.

DEAR + NOUN

cat, circumstances, d, friend, grandmother, i'm, life, lion

My dear friend helped me through the most difficult circumstances of my life.

PREP.

in, in

She held the old photograph dear in her heart.

ADV.

accordingly, always, away, such

She held the letter dear always, never letting it out of her sight.

Definitions

adj

High in price; expensive.

The dearer the jewel, the greater the love expressed.

There's more depends on this than on the value. The dearest ring in Venice will I give you, And find it out by proclamation: Only for this, I pray you, pardon me.

Loved; lovable.

"Yes, children dear, wait a bit till it turns itself," she answered - she ought to have said "till I turn it"[.]

So this was my future home, I thought![…]Backed by towering hills, the but faintly discernible purple line of the French boundary off to the southwest, a sky of palest Gobelin flecked with fat, fleecy little clouds, it in truth looked a dear little city; the city of one's dreams.

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!"

Loving, affectionate, heartfelt

Such dear embrace tenderly comforts even in this dear sorrow.

Precious to or greatly valued by someone.

The dearer the giver, the dearer the trinket he brings!

[…] dear as sacramental wine To dying lips is all he said […].

noun

A very kind, loving person.

My little cousin is such a dear, always drawing me pictures.

A beloved person.

An affectionate, familiar term of address, such as used between husband and wife.

Pass me the salt, would you dear?

An elderly person, especially a woman.

verb

To endear.

Nor should a Sonne his Sire loue for reward, But for he is his Sire, in nature dear’d.

I should have known no less: It hath been taught us from the primal state That he which is was wished until he were; And the ebbed man, ne'er loved till ne'er worth love, Comes deared by being lacked.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

noun — a beloved person

noun — a sweet innocent mild-mannered person (especially a child)

lamb

adjective — with or in a close or intimate relationship

adjective — dearly loved

adjective — sincerely earnest

devout
earnest
heartfelt

adverb — at a great cost

dearly

adverb — with affection

dearly
affectionately

Antonyms

Idioms & Phrases

for dear life

Desperately.

Paolo sat crosslegged on his bench, stitching away for dear life.

near and dear

Loved or cared about greatly.

This bracelet is a gift from my spouse, who I hold near and dear.

Example Bank

The dearer the jewel, the greater the love expressed.

Wiktionary

There's more depends on this than on the value. The dearest ring in Venice will I give you, And find it out by proclamation: Only for this, I pray you, pardon me.

Wiktionary

This water is sold for 50 cents per ton, which is not dear under the circumstances.

Wiktionary

My little cousin is such a dear, always drawing me pictures.

Wiktionary

Pass me the salt, would you dear?

Wiktionary

Nor should a Sonne his Sire loue for reward, But for he is his Sire, in nature dear’d.

Wiktionary

Usage Notes

i Register

In some senses, dear is marked as obsolete, UK. Watch for register when choosing this word.

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