dear

Adjective (1)

dear (comparative dearer or more dear, superlative dearest or most dear)

1. (Ireland, UK, NZ (dated)) 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.c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...

   Synonyms:

   costly, lickpenny, spenny, 5-star, big-ticket, chargeful, cheap at half the price, costful, cost-prohibitive, fancy

2. Loved; lovable.
   • "Yes, children dear, wait a bit till it turns itself," she answered - she ought to have said "till I turn it"[.]1886, Peter Christen Asbjø￵rnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 62
   • 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.1908, W[illiam] B[lair] M[orton] Ferguson, chapter IV, in Zollenstein, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC

   Synonyms:

   lief, lovely, precious, beloved, favoured, lovable, loved, lovewende, special

3. 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!"1912, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Lost World […], London; New York, N.Y.: Hodder and Stoughton, →OCLC

   Synonyms:

   benevolent, benign, nice, compassionate, benignant, good-hearted, kind, kindhearted, humane, softhearted

4. Loving, affectionate, heartfelt
   • Such dear embrace tenderly comforts even in this dear sorrow.

   Synonyms:

   cordial, fond, warm-hearted, affectionate, caring, soft, friendly, goodhearted, good-natured, heartfelt

5. 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 […].1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XXXVII”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 58

   Synonyms:

   cherished, treasured, without price, estimable, valuable, worthy, worthly, prizable, treasurous, worth every penny

6. 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:[…].
   • Dearest Joseph/son:...
7. 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!
   • “A very welcome, kind, useful present, that means to the parish. By the way, Hopkins, let this go no further. We don't want the tale running round that a rich person has arrived. Churchill, my dear fellow, we have such greedy sharks, and wolves in lamb's clothing.[…]”1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter VII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC
8. 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.
9. (obsolete) Noble.

   Synonyms:

   great, respected, worthy

Noun

dear (plural dears)

1. A very kind, loving person.
   • My little cousin is such a dear, always drawing me pictures.

   Synonyms:

   darling

2. A beloved person.
3. An affectionate, familiar term of address, such as used between husband and wife.
   • Pass me the salt, would you dear?
4. An elderly person, especially a woman.

Verb

dear (third-person singular simple present dears, present participle dearing, simple past and past participle deared)

1. (obsolete) To endear.
   • Nor should a Sonne his Sire loue for reward, But for he is his Sire, in nature dear’d.1603, John Davies of Hereford, Microcosmos
   • 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.1623, William Shakespeare, The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra

Adverb

dear (comparative more dear, superlative most dear)

1. Dearly; at a high price.
   • If thou attempt it, it will cost thee dear.c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac...

Interjection

1. Indicating surprise, pity, or disapproval.
   • Dear, dear! Whatever were they thinking?

Adjective (2)

dear (comparative more dear, superlative most dear)

1. Severe, or severely affected; sore.
2. (obsolete) Fierce.
   • The Christens found the heathens dear, as the lion doth the bear.

Proper noun capitalized: Dear

Dear (plural Dears)

1. A surname.