dear

1 of 5

adjective (1)

ˈdir

: highly valued : precious

a dear friend

Our friendship is very dear to me.

ran for dear life

—often used in a salutation

dear Sir

: affectionate, fond

: high or exorbitant in price : expensive

eggs are very dear just now

: heartfelt

our dearest prayers

obsolete : noble

dearness noun

dear

2 of 5

adverb

: dearly sense 3

the effort cost them dear

: dearly sense 1

so dear I loved the man—

William Shakespeare

dear

3 of 5

noun

: a loved one : sweetheart

How was your day, dear?

: a lovable person

Be a dear and get me a drink.

dear

4 of 5

interjection

—used especially to express annoyance or dismay

Oh dear!

dear

5 of 5

adjective (2)

: severe, sore

in our dear peril—

William Shakespeare

Example Sentences

Noun Be a dear and take this for me.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The little dear has always been a particular favorite of mine. —

Patrick Bedard, Car and Driver, 26 Jan. 2023 On Tuesday, in honor of the Martin Luther King holiday, Marian and Valerie will speak to a Zoom audience about a subject dear to their hearts. —

Bo Emerson, ajc, 13 Jan. 2023 El Malei Rachamim or God of Compassion is a plea to God to please allow the dear departed to rest peacefully throughout eternity. —

Ellyn Laub, Sun Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2022 As Russia’s war against Ukraine stretches into another month, Ukrainians and Western nations are in suspense for how the Kremlin will celebrate a day dear to Russian history. —

Washington Post, 12 Apr. 2022 Male deer account for nearly twice as many deer harvested by shotgun or rifle and by landowners, according to state data, but female dear are more susceptible to death due to crop damage. —

Seamus Mcavoy, courant.com, 15 Nov. 2021 But are its patches of grass and sand dear to locals? —

Caroline Spivack, Curbed, 1 Mar. 2021

Adjective

The important tasks are those that need our attention to reach our goals and accomplish the projects that are very dear to us. —

Lidija Globokar, Forbes, 27 Jan. 2023 This particular aesthetic theme is something Hearst holds dear, looking towards the future, not with a solid, determined plan, but with the hope that innovation and passion for design will pave the way forward. —

Kevin Leblanc, ELLE, 15 Feb. 2023 Talk to him, dear letter writer, and prepare to move on. —

Meredith Goldstein, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Feb. 2023 His romantic view of the conflict is shattered on his first night in the cold trenches, surrounded by death and disaster, and dealt a tragic blow with the easy, meaningless loss of a dear friend. —

WIRED, 10 Feb. 2023 This troubling cultural current has now made it to our dear cut-paper Coloradan suburb, reiterated as a rumor going around school that Kyle Broflovski controls Hollywood. —

Charles Bramesco, Chron, 9 Feb. 2023 Thank you, dear @SecBlinken for the warm welcome in Washington, DC. —

Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 8 Feb. 2023 The late Bill Wittliff, who was a dear friend, used to have an office in an old house on Baylor Street. —

Lawrence Wright, The New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2023 In researching the story of his disappearance, Jason Nark attempts to come to terms with his own grief over a dear friend’s suicide. —

Krista Stevens, Longreads, 1 Feb. 2023 See More

Word History

Etymology

Adjective (1), Adverb, Noun, and Interjection

Middle English dere, from Old English dēore; akin to Old High German tiuri distinguished, costly

Adjective (2)

Middle English dere, from Old English dēor — see dear entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 5

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Interjection

1694, in the meaning defined above

Adjective (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

单词	dears
释义	dear 1 of 5 adjective (1) ˈdir 1 : highly valued : precious a dear friend Our friendship is very dear to me. ran for dear life —often used in a salutation dear Sir 2 : affectionate, fond 3 : high or exorbitant in price : expensive eggs are very dear just now 4 : heartfelt our dearest prayers 5 obsolete : noble dearness noun dear 2 of 5 adverb 1 : dearly sense 3 the effort cost them dear 2 : dearly sense 1 so dear I loved the man—William Shakespeare dear 3 of 5 noun 1 : a loved one : sweetheart How was your day, dear? 2 : a lovable person Be a dear and get me a drink. dear 4 of 5 interjection —used especially to express annoyance or dismay Oh dear! dear 5 of 5 adjective (2) : severe, sore in our dear peril—William Shakespeare Synonyms Adjective (1) big-ticket costly expensive extravagant high high-end high-ticket precious premium priceless pricey pricy spendy [chiefly Northwest] ultraexpensive valuable Noun beloved darling flame hon honey love squeeze [slang] sweet sweetheart sweetie sweetie pie truelove See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Noun Be a dear and take this for me. Recent Examples on the Web Noun The little dear has always been a particular favorite of mine. —Patrick Bedard, Car and Driver, 26 Jan. 2023 On Tuesday, in honor of the Martin Luther King holiday, Marian and Valerie will speak to a Zoom audience about a subject dear to their hearts. —Bo Emerson, ajc, 13 Jan. 2023 El Malei Rachamim or God of Compassion is a plea to God to please allow the dear departed to rest peacefully throughout eternity. —Ellyn Laub, Sun Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2022 As Russia’s war against Ukraine stretches into another month, Ukrainians and Western nations are in suspense for how the Kremlin will celebrate a day dear to Russian history. —Washington Post, 12 Apr. 2022 Male deer account for nearly twice as many deer harvested by shotgun or rifle and by landowners, according to state data, but female dear are more susceptible to death due to crop damage. —Seamus Mcavoy, courant.com, 15 Nov. 2021 But are its patches of grass and sand dear to locals? —Caroline Spivack, Curbed, 1 Mar. 2021 Adjective The important tasks are those that need our attention to reach our goals and accomplish the projects that are very dear to us. —Lidija Globokar, Forbes, 27 Jan. 2023 This particular aesthetic theme is something Hearst holds dear, looking towards the future, not with a solid, determined plan, but with the hope that innovation and passion for design will pave the way forward. —Kevin Leblanc, ELLE, 15 Feb. 2023 Talk to him, dear letter writer, and prepare to move on. —Meredith Goldstein, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Feb. 2023 His romantic view of the conflict is shattered on his first night in the cold trenches, surrounded by death and disaster, and dealt a tragic blow with the easy, meaningless loss of a dear friend. —WIRED, 10 Feb. 2023 This troubling cultural current has now made it to our dear cut-paper Coloradan suburb, reiterated as a rumor going around school that Kyle Broflovski controls Hollywood. —Charles Bramesco, Chron, 9 Feb. 2023 Thank you, dear @SecBlinken for the warm welcome in Washington, DC. —Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 8 Feb. 2023 The late Bill Wittliff, who was a dear friend, used to have an office in an old house on Baylor Street. —Lawrence Wright, The New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2023 In researching the story of his disappearance, Jason Nark attempts to come to terms with his own grief over a dear friend’s suicide. —Krista Stevens, Longreads, 1 Feb. 2023 See More Word History Etymology Adjective (1), Adverb, Noun, and Interjection Middle English dere, from Old English dēore; akin to Old High German tiuri distinguished, costly Adjective (2) Middle English dere, from Old English dēor — see dear entry 1 First Known Use Adjective (1) before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 5 Adverb before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Noun 13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Interjection 1694, in the meaning defined above Adjective (2) before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above Phrases Containing dear close/dear/near to one's heart cost (someone) dearly/dear for dear life near and dear to her heart near and dear close/dear/near to one's heart cost (someone) dearly/dear for dear life near and dear to her heart near and dear Kids Definition dear 1 of 2 adjective ˈdi(ə)r 1 : highly valued : precious 2 —used as a form of address in letters and sometimes in speech Dear Sir 3 : high-priced : expensive 4 : deeply and earnestly felt my dearest wish dear adverb dearly adverb dearness noun dear 2 of 2 noun : a loved one : darling dears noun plural of dear as in darlings a person with whom one is in love I love you, dear Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance darlings sweethearts sweeties beloveds girlfriends lovers sweets boyfriends wives girls hons loves flames husbands boys honeys mistresses trueloves sweetie pies brides gals squeezes fellows lasses swains tootsies amours pets beaux dolls admirers paramours beaus ducks wooers men grooms gallants dates escorts suitors significant others ladyloves fiancés inamoratas steadies heartthrobs crushes intendeds
随便看	eartab earth earth almond earth apple earth bread earth closet earth club earth coal earth color earth current Earth Day earth flax earth foam earth god earth goddess earth hog earth house earth hunger earth inductor earth inductor compass earth lichen earth lodge earth louse earth metal earth mother

dear

adjective (1)

adverb

noun

interjection

adjective (2)

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing dear

Kids Definition

noun