dear Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun a beloved person; used as terms of endearment
honey; dearest; love; beloved.
noun a sweet innocent mild-mannered person (especially a child)
lamb.
adjective satellite dearly loved
darling; beloved.
adjective satellite with or in a close or intimate relationship
near; good.
- a good friend
- my sisters and brothers are near and dear
adjective satellite earnest
earnest; heartfelt; devout.
- one's dearest wish
- devout wishes for their success
- heartfelt condolences
adjective satellite having a high price
pricey; high-priced; costly; pricy.
- costly jewelry
- high-priced merchandise
- much too dear for my pocketbook
- a pricey restaurant
adverb with affection
affectionately; dearly.
- she loved him dearly
- he treats her affectionately
adverb at a great cost
dearly.
- he paid dearly for the food
- this cost him dear

OE. dere, deore, AS. deóre; akin to OS. diuri, D. duur, OHG. tiuri, G. theuer, teuer, Icel. dr, Dan. & Sw. dyr. Cf. Darling, Dearth.

comparative Dearer ; superlative Dearest

Bearing a high price; high-priced; costly; expensive.
The cheapest of us is ten groats too dear. Shak.
Marked by scarcity or dearth, and exorbitance of price; as, a dear year.
Highly valued; greatly beloved; cherished; precious. "Hear me, dear lady." Shak.
Neither count I my life dear unto myself. Acts xx. 24.

And the last joy was dearer than the rest. Pope.

Dear as remember'd kisses after death. Tennyson.
Hence, close to the heart; heartfelt; present in mind; engaging the attention. (a) Of agreeable things and interests.
[I'll] leave you to attend him: some dear cause Will in concealment wrap me up awhile. Shak.

His dearest wish was to escape from the bustle and glitter of Whitehall. Macaulay.
(b) Of disagreeable things and antipathies.
In our dear peril. Shak.

Would I had met my dearest foe in heaven Or ever I had seen that day. Shak.

Dearly; at a high price.
If thou attempt it, it will cost thee dear. Shak.