dear1

[deer] /dɪər/
adjective, dearer, dearest.
1.
beloved or loved:
a dear friend.
2.
(used in the salutation of a letter as an expression of affection or respect or as a conventional greeting):
Dear Sir.
3.
precious in one's regard; cherished:
our dearest possessions.
4.
heartfelt; earnest:
one's dearest wish.
5.
high-priced; expensive:
The silk dress was too dear.
6.
charging high prices:
That shop is too dear for my budget.
7.
excessive; high:
a dear price to pay for one's independence.
8.
Obsolete. difficult to get; scarce.
9.
Obsolete. worthy; honorable.
noun
10.
a person who is good, kind, or generous:
You're a dear to help me with the work.
11.
a beloved one.
12.
(sometimes initial capital letter) an affectionate or familiar term of address, as to a child or romantic partner (sometimes offensive when used to a stranger, subordinate, etc.)
adverb
13.
dearly; fondly.
14.
at a high price:
That painting cost me dear.
interjection
15.
(used as an exclamation of surprise, distress, etc.):
Oh dear, what a disappointment! Dear me! What's all that noise?
Origin
before 900; Middle English dere, Old English dēore; cognate with Old High German tiuri, Old Norse dȳrr
Related forms
dearly, adverb
dearness, noun
Synonyms
1. darling, cherished. 5. See expensive.

dear2

[deer] /dɪər/
adjective, dearer, dearest. Archaic.
1.
hard; grievous.
Also, dere.
Origin
before 1000; Middle English dere, Old English dēor brave, bold, severe
Examples from the web for dear
  • We have dear and close friends who regularly invite us for dinner.
  • Please, dear college presidents, stop sending for the police.
  • The price of admission-free for all-is surely near and dear to any student's heart.
  • It is all so bleak that you feel the urge to grab a bottle of vodka and cling to it for dear life.
  • He by her father's will was now her dear companion and husband.
  • dear reader, please drive safely today and do not get electrocuted when unplugging your laptop after reading this.
  • Finished, he ambles into deeper water, where he suddenly lights into dear old mom with play swipes of his paws.
  • So we're asking you, dear readers, to supply a proper caption for the picture and headline above.
  • And we're going to let you, our dear readers, help us decide where he should go and what he should do.
  • Unfortunately, dear, your partners plug you on purpose.
British Dictionary definitions for dear

dear

/dɪə/
adjective
1.
beloved; precious
2.
used in conventional forms of address preceding a title or name, as in Dear Sir or my dear Mr Smith
3.
(postpositive) foll by to. important; close: a wish dear to her heart
4.
  1. highly priced
  2. charging high prices
5.
appealing or pretty: what a dear little ring!
6.
for dear life, urgently or with extreme vigour or desperation
interjection
7.
used in exclamations of surprise or dismay, such as Oh dear! and dear me!
noun
8.
(often used in direct address) someone regarded with affection and tenderness; darling
adverb
9.
dearly: his errors have cost him dear
Derived Forms
dearness, noun
Word Origin
Old English dēore; related to Old Norse dӯrr
Word Origin and History for dear
adj.

Old English deore "precious, valuable, costly, loved, beloved," from Proto-Germanic *deurjaz (cf. Old Saxon diuri, Old Norse dyrr, Old Frisian diore, Middle Dutch dure, Dutch duur, Old High German tiuri, German teuer), ultimate origin unknown. Used interjectorily since 1690s. As a polite introductory word to letters, it is attested from mid-15c. As a noun, from late 14c., perhaps short for dear one, etc.

Idioms and Phrases with dear

dear

In addition to the idiom beginning with
dear
also see: