The meaning of Dear

verb

Love and respect (someone) deeply.

Usage examples:

He adored his mother

verb

Past simple and past participle of adore

Usage examples:

She has one son and she adores him., i absolutely adore chocolate., [ + -ing verb ] don't you just …

noun

A sexually attractive young woman.

Usage examples:

He's been pumping up his pecs to impress the babes

noun

A small baby, or infml an affectionate way of addressing a wife, husband, or other person you love

noun

A very young child.

Usage examples:

His wife's just had a baby

adjective

Comparatively small or immature of its kind.

Usage examples:

A baby version of the oxford movement

verb

Treat (someone) as a baby; pamper or be overprotective towards.

Usage examples:

Her aunt babied her and fussed over her clothes

noun

A person's boyfriend or girlfriend (often as a form of address).

Usage examples:

I'm going to see my bae

abbreviation

British aerospace (now bae systems ).

noun

Someone you love; a boyfriend or girlfriend

Usage examples:

It's bad when bae doesn't reply to your texts., [ as form of address ] hey, bae. what's up?

adjective

Dearly loved.

Usage examples:

His beloved son

noun

A much loved person.

Usage examples:

He watched his beloved from afar

adjective

Loved very much

Usage examples:

His beloved wife died last year, and he is still grieving.

adjective

Of the most excellent or desirable type or quality.

Usage examples:

The best midfielder in the country

adverb

To the highest degree; most (used with verbs suggesting a desirable action or state or a successful outcome).

Usage examples:

They named the pictures they liked best

noun

That which is the most excellent, outstanding, or desirable.

Usage examples:

Buy the best you can afford

noun

A thing that is helpful or beneficial.

Usage examples:

The route will be a boon to many travellers

noun

Something good or very helpful

Usage examples:

Spring rains are a boon to local farmers.

noun

A woman's chest or breasts.

Usage examples:

Her ample bosom

adjective

(of a friend) very close or intimate.

Usage examples:

The two girls had become bosom friends

noun

A woman’s breasts or the front of a person’s chest, esp. when thought of as the center of human feelings

Usage examples:

He felt safe in the bosom of his family.

verb

Protect and care for (someone) lovingly.

Usage examples:

He needed a woman he could cherish

adjective

Bringing the pleasure of love or caring about someone or something that is important to you

Usage examples:

Her most cherished possession is a 1926 letter from f. scott fitzgerald.

adjective

Only a short distance away or apart in space or time.

Usage examples:

The hotel is close to the sea

adverb

Very near to someone or something; with very little space between.

Usage examples:

They stood close to the door

noun

Another term for high (sense 7 of the adjective).

adjective

Intended to be kept secret.

Usage examples:

Confidential information

adjective

Private, and intended to be kept secret

Usage examples:

Confidential data/documents/information, etc. prosecutors were not able to obtain confidential data…

adjective

Costing a lot; expensive.

Usage examples:

Major problems requiring costly repairs

adjective

Expensive

Usage examples:

This procedure can be very costly., her costly mistake allowed the opponents to score.

adjective

Costing a lot of money

Usage examples:

Costly repairs, the delays in the schedule proved very costly., their failure to consult staff memb…

noun

Used as an affectionate form of address to a beloved person.

Usage examples:

Good night, darling

adjective

Beloved.

Usage examples:

His darling wife

noun

Used to show affection when speaking to someone

Usage examples:

Hello, darling., here’s a picture of my darling child.

adjective

Most loved or cherished.

Usage examples:

One of my dearest friends

noun

Used as an affectionate form of address.

Usage examples:

You make me so happy, dearest

adjective

Regarded with deep affection.

Usage examples:

A dear friend

adjective

Held in great respect; admired.

Usage examples:

We dined in my esteemed friend's little room

verb

Respect and admire.

Usage examples:

Many of these qualities are esteemed by managers

adjective

Highly respected

Usage examples:

It is my honor to introduce our esteemed senator.

adjective

(of a price or amount charged) unreasonably high.

Usage examples:

Some hotels charge exorbitant rates for phone calls

adjective

(of prices and demands) much too large

Usage examples:

The hotel charges were exorbitant.

adjective

An exorbitant price, demand, etc., is much too large

Usage examples:

The interest charged on most credit cards is exorbitant., an exorbitant price/fee/rate

adjective

Costing a lot of money.

Usage examples:

Keeping a horse is expensive

adjective

(of a price) much too high; exorbitant.

Usage examples:

£2,700 for that guitar is extortionate

adjective

More expensive than is reasonable

Usage examples:

Extortionate fee/price/rate, etc. most retailers charge extortionate prices for extended warranties…

adjective

Lacking restraint in spending money or using resources.

Usage examples:

It was rather extravagant to buy both

adjective

More expensive than is necessary or reasonable, or having the characteristics of being expensive

Usage examples:

Company executives enjoyed an extravagant lifestyle., top athletes are showered with extravagant gi…

adjective

Spending or costing a lot of money

Usage examples:

Severe cuts in public spending mean that demands for extravagant pay rises are no longer realistic.…

adjective

Preferred or recommended.

Usage examples:

She was his favoured candidate

verb

Feel or show approval or preference for.

Usage examples:

Slashing public spending is a policy that few politicians favour

adjective

Supported or preferred over anyone or anything else

Usage examples:

He was reportedly the president's favoured candidate., the arunras has been my favoured eatery in t…

adjective

Preferred to all others of the same kind.

Usage examples:

Their favourite italian restaurant

noun

A person or thing that is preferred to all others of the same kind or is especially well liked.

Usage examples:

My favourite is tandoori chicken

verb

Record the address of (a website or other data) to enable quick access in future.

Usage examples:

You can see who else favourited the same pictures

adjective

Expensive

Usage examples:

Greater boston has long been known as a high-cost area - with high incomes to match., a high-cost l…

adjective

Expensive

Usage examples:

Worries about the economy are hurting sales of high-priced european luxury goods.

noun

A sweet, sticky yellowish-brown fluid made by bees and other insects from nectar collected from flowers.

noun

A sweet, sticky, yellow substance made by bees and used as food

Usage examples:

Hi, honey, i’m home.

noun

A name that you call someone you love or like very much

Usage examples:

Hi, honey, i'm home!

adjective

Not sensible or restrained; excessive.

Usage examples:

Immoderate drinking

adjective

Too much or many, or more than is usual or reasonable

Usage examples:

Immoderate drinking, immoderate demands

adjective

Closely acquainted; familiar.

Usage examples:

Intimate friends

noun

A very close friend.

Usage examples:

His circle of intimates

verb

State or make known.

Usage examples:

Mr hutchison has intimated his decision to retire

adjective

Sumptuously rich, elaborate, or luxurious.

Usage examples:

A lavish banquet

verb

Bestow something in generous or extravagant quantities on.

Usage examples:

The media couldn't lavish enough praise on the film

adjective

Spending, giving, or using more than is necessary or reasonable; more than enough

Usage examples:

The team has the most lavish training facility in the league., they live in a lavishly furnished ap…

noun

An intense feeling of deep affection.

Usage examples:

Babies fill parents with feelings of love

verb

Feel deep affection for (someone).

Usage examples:

He loved his sister dearly

verb

Feel deep affection for (someone).

Usage examples:

He loved his sister dearly

noun

An intense feeling of deep affection.

Usage examples:

Babies fill parents with feelings of love

noun

A great interest and pleasure in something.

Usage examples:

His love for football

adjective

Too expensive; costing more than it is worth.

Usage examples:

Overpriced hotels

verb

Charge too high a price for.

Usage examples:

The promoter made the mistake of overpricing the tickets

noun

A domestic or tamed animal kept for companionship or pleasure.

Usage examples:

The pony was a family pet

verb

Stroke or pat (an animal) affectionately.

Usage examples:

The cats came to be petted

noun

A fit of sulking or ill humour.

Usage examples:

Mother's in a pet

noun

An endearingly sweet or pretty child (often used as an affectionate form of address).

Usage examples:

‘here you are, poppet,’ the nurse said

noun

A person, especially a child, that you like or love

Usage examples:

[ as form of address ] come on, poppet, it's time for bed., oh, becky's a real poppet - such a swee…

adjective

Of great value; not to be wasted or treated carelessly.

Usage examples:

Precious works of art

noun

Used as a term of address for a beloved person.

Usage examples:

Don't be frightened, my precious

adjective

Of very great value or worth

Usage examples:

Precious memories, children are our most precious resource., diamonds and rubies are precious stone…

adjective

Expensive.

Usage examples:

Boutiques selling pricey clothes

verb

Use force in order to move, move apart, or open (something).

Usage examples:

I tried to prise joe's fingers away from the stick

verb

Value extremely highly.

Usage examples:

The berries were prized for their healing properties

adjective

Extremely highly valued.

Usage examples:

The bicycle was her most prized possession

noun

(in spanish-speaking regions) a female romantic partner (often as an affectionate form of address).

Usage examples:

My querida and i went here for a late supper

verb

Admire (someone or something) deeply, as a result of their abilities, qualities, or achievements.

Usage examples:

She was respected by everyone she worked with

adjective

Deeply admired or esteemed.

Usage examples:

A respected academic

adjective

Admired by many people for your qualities or achievements

Usage examples:

A highly respected figure/politician/doctor, the country's most respected daily newspaper, he is ve…

adjective

Better, greater, or otherwise different from what is usual.

Usage examples:

They always made a special effort at christmas

noun

A thing, such as a product or broadcast, that is designed or organized for a particular occasion or purpose.

Usage examples:

Television's election night specials

adjective

Not ordinary or usual

Usage examples:

A special occasion, special attention/treatment, the car has a number of special safety features., …

adjective

(of a slope, flight of stairs, or angle) rising or falling sharply; almost perpendicular.

Usage examples:

She pushed the bike up the steep hill

noun

A steep mountain slope.

Usage examples:

Hair-raising steeps

verb

Soak (food or tea) in water or other liquid so as to extract its flavour or to soften it.

Usage examples:

The chillies are steeped in olive oil

adjective

Not easily bent or changed in shape; rigid.

Usage examples:

A stiff black collar

noun

A dead body.

Usage examples:

When the bodies of various stiffs start disappearing from the local morgue, the police are baffled …

verb

Cheat (someone) out of something, especially money.

Usage examples:

Several workers were stiffed out of their pay

noun

A sweet crystalline substance obtained from various plants, especially sugar cane and sugar beet, consisting essentially of sucrose, and used as a sweetener in food and drink.

Usage examples:

A spoonful of sugar

verb

Used as a euphemism for ‘shit’.

Usage examples:

‘oh sugar!’ cried sally

noun

A sweet substance obtained esp. from particular plants and used to make food and drinks sweet

noun

Direct sunlight unbroken by cloud, especially over a comparatively large area.

Usage examples:

We walked in the warm sunshine

noun

The light and heat that come from the sun

Usage examples:

The towels dried quickly in the sunshine.

adjective

Having the pleasant taste characteristic of sugar or honey; not salt, sour, or bitter.

Usage examples:

A cup of hot sweet tea

noun

A small shaped piece of sweet food made with sugar.

Usage examples:

A bag of sweets

adjective

(esp. of food or drink) having a taste similar to that of sugar or honey

Usage examples:

The four basic tastes are sweet, salty, bitter, and sour., i like sweet cherries., the desserts wer…

noun

A person with whom someone is having a romantic relationship.

Usage examples:

The pair were childhood sweethearts

noun

A person you love, esp. one with whom you have a romantic relationship

Usage examples:

Jeanne was my high school sweetheart., hi, sweetheart., she’s a sweetheart.

noun

A sweet.

Usage examples:

The girls' night in package fills you full of chocolate, sweeties, popcorn and ice-cream, but if yo…

noun

An apple of a sweet-flavoured variety.

noun

A quantity of precious metals, gems, or other valuable objects.

Usage examples:

The ransom was to be paid in diamonds and treasure

verb

Keep carefully (a valuable or valued item).

Usage examples:

My mother gave me the ring and i'll treasure it always

noun

Great wealth, esp. in the form of a store of gold, silver, precious stones, or money

Usage examples:

[ u ] pirates are said to have buried treasure there., [ c ] jazz is america’s national treasure., …

verb

Keep carefully (a valuable or valued item).

Usage examples:

My mother gave me the ring and i'll treasure it always

adjective

Highly valued; prized.

Usage examples:

His library was his most treasured possession

verb

Past simple and past participle of treasure

Usage examples:

I will always treasure those memories of my dad., this pen that my grandfather gave me is one of my…

adjective

Used to describe products and services that are of a high quality compared to others

Usage examples:

The prices of upmarket tour operators are often discounted at the last minute., he had a plan to tu…

adjective

Worth a great deal of money.

Usage examples:

A valuable antique

noun

A thing that is of great worth, especially a small item of personal property.

Usage examples:

Put all your valuables in the hotel safe

adjective

Important, useful, or beneficial

Usage examples:

Niekro was named the most valuable player in baseball., they perform valuable services for poor, ru…

adjective

Considered to be important or beneficial; cherished.

Usage examples:

A valued friend

verb

Estimate the monetary worth of.

Usage examples:

His estate was valued at £45,000

verb

Show reverence and adoration for (a deity).

Usage examples:

The maya built jungle pyramids to worship their gods

noun

The feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for a deity.

Usage examples:

Worship of the mother goddess

noun

Used in addressing or referring to an important or high-ranking person, especially a magistrate or mayor.

Usage examples:

We were soon joined by his worship the mayor