'Dear' definitions:
Definition of 'dear'
From: WordNet
adverb
With affection; "she loved him dearly"; "he treats her affectionately" [syn: dearly, affectionately, dear]
adverb
At a great cost; "he paid dearly for the food"; "this cost him dear" [syn: dearly, dear]
adjective
adjective
With or in a close or intimate relationship; "a good friend"; "my sisters and brothers are near and dear" [syn: dear, good, near]
adjective
Earnest; "one's dearest wish"; "devout wishes for their success"; "heartfelt condolences" [syn: dear, devout, earnest, heartfelt]
adjective
Having a high price; "costly jewelry"; "high-priced merchandise"; "much too dear for my pocketbook"; "a pricey restaurant" [syn: costly, dear(p), high-priced, pricey, pricy]
noun
noun
A sweet innocent mild-mannered person (especially a child) [syn: lamb, dear]
Definition of 'Dear'
From: GCIDE
- Dear \Dear\, n. A dear one; lover; sweetheart. [1913 Webster]
- That kiss I carried from thee, dear. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Dear'
From: GCIDE
- Dear \Dear\, adv. Dearly; at a high price. [1913 Webster]
- If thou attempt it, it will cost thee dear. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Dear'
From: GCIDE
- Dear \Dear\ (d[=e]r), a. [Compar. Dearer (d[=e]r"[~e]r); superl. Dearest (d[=e]r"[e^]st).] [OE. dere, deore, AS. de['o]re; akin to OS. diuri, D. duur, OHG. tiuri, G. theuer, teuer, Icel. d[=y]rr, Dan. & Sw. dyr. Cf. Darling, Dearth.]
- 1. Bearing a high price; high-priced; costly; expensive. [1913 Webster]
- The cheapest of us is ten groats too dear. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- 2. Marked by scarcity or dearth, and exorbitance of price; as, a dear year. [1913 Webster]
- 3. Highly valued; greatly beloved; cherished; precious. "Hear me, dear lady." --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- Neither count I my life dear unto myself. --Acts xx. 24. [1913 Webster]
- And the last joy was dearer than the rest. --Pope. [1913 Webster]
- Dear as remember'd kisses after death. --Tennyson. [1913 Webster]
- 4. Hence, close to the heart; heartfelt; present in mind; engaging the attention. (a) Of agreeable things and interests. [1913 Webster]
- [I'll] leave you to attend him: some dear cause Will in concealment wrap me up awhile. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- His dearest wish was to escape from the bustle and glitter of Whitehall. --Macaulay. (b) Of disagreeable things and antipathies. [1913 Webster]
- In our dear peril. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- Would I had met my dearest foe in heaven Or ever I had seen that day. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Dear'
From: GCIDE
- Dear \Dear\, v. t. To endear. [Obs.] --Shelton. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'dear'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- admired,
- adored,
- affectionate,
- angel,
- at a premium,
- at great cost,
- at great expense,
- at heavy cost,
- babe,
- baby,
- baby-doll,
- beloved,
- beloved object,
- beyond price,
- buttercup,
- cherished,
- cherub,
- chick,
- chickabiddy,
- costly,
- crush,
- darling,
- dear one,
- dear-bought,
- dearly,
- dearly beloved,
- deary,
- devoted,
- doll,
- doting,
- duck,
- duckling,
- esteemed,
- expensive,
- fancy,
- favored,
- favorite,
- fond,
- golden,
- good as gold,
- heartthrob,
- held dear,
- high,
- high-priced,
- hon,
- honey,
- honey bunch,
- honey child,
- honored,
- inestimable,
- invaluable,
- lamb,
- lambkin,
- light of love,
- love,
- loved,
- loved one,
- lover,
- lovesome,
- luxurious,
- not affordable,
- of great cost,
- of great price,
- pet,
- petkins,
- popular,
- precious,
- precious heart,
- premium,
- priceless,
- pricey,
- prized,
- revered,
- rich,
- snookums,
- steep,
- stiff,
- sugar,
- sumptuous,
- sweet,
- sweetheart,
- sweetie,
- sweetkins,
- sweets,
- top,
- treasure,
- treasured,
- truelove,
- unpayable,
- valuable,
- valued,
- venerated,
- well-beloved,
- well-liked,
- white-haired,
- worthy