"Dear," adj.

A. adj.    I. Of persons:

    1.    a. Glorious, noble, honourable, worthy. Obs.

a1000 Riddles xxxiv. (Gr.), Is min modor mæa cynnes æs deorestan. c1000 Ags. Ps. cxvii. 10 On Dryhtnes naman deorum. c1340 Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 445 To-ward e derrest on e dece he dressez e face. 1375 Cant. de Creatione 701 in Anglia I, I am Michel, e angel dere Ordeyned abouen man. ?a1400 Morte Arth. 1601 e dere kynge hyme selfene Comaundyd syr Cadore with his dere knyghttes..To ryde with e Romaynes. a1400-50 Alexander 4644, I, sir Dyndyn e derrest at duells in is Ile, e best of e bragmeyns. c1450 HOLLAND Howlat 281 With dukis and with digne lordis, darrest in dale. 1595 T. EDWARDES Cephalus & P., L'Envoy (1878) 61-2 Oh deere sonnes of stately kings. 1596 SHAKES. 1 Hen. IV, IV. iv. 31 Corriuals and deare men Of estimation and command. 1606 Tr. & Cr. V. iii. 27 Life euery man holds deere, but the deere man Holds honor farre more precious, deere, then life.

    2. a. Regarded with personal feelings of high estimation and affection; held in deep and tender esteem; beloved, loved.

a1000 Juliana 725 (Gr.) Fæder frofre gæst..and se deora sunu. c1000 Ags. Gosp. Luke vii. 2 Sumes hundred-mannes eowa..se wæs him dyre. c1205 LAY. 4377 e king haue ane dohter e him is swue dure [c1275 at he loueth swie]. a1300 Cursor M. 3626 (Cott.) Mi leue sone..ou ert mi derest barn. Ibid. 20133 (Cott.) Saint iohn hir keped & had ful dere. c1386 CHAUCER Knt.'s T. 590 Ther nas no man that Theseus hath so derre. c1435 Torr. Portugal 931, I have a dowghttyr that ys me dere. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 291 His dere darlynges and well beloved frendes. 1535 STEWART Cron. Scot. II. 174 He that wes his darrest sone in law.

    II. Of things.

    4.    a. Of high estimation, of great worth or value; precious, valuable. Obs.

1596 SHAKES. Merch. V. I. i. 62 Your worth is very deere in my regard. c1600 Sonn. xxx, And with old woes new wail my dear time's waste.

 

    b. Precious in import or significance; important. Obs.

1592 SHAKES. Rom. & Jul. V. ii. 19 The Letter was not nice, but full of charge, Of deare import, and the neglecting it May do much danger. 1596 1 Hen. IV, IV. i. 34 So dangerous and deare a trust. 1605 Lear III. i. 19 Sir, I do know you, And dare..commend a deere thing to you.

    5. a. The preceding passed gradually into a sense in which personal affection or attachment became the predominant notion as in 2 above: Precious in one's regard, of which one is fond, to which one is greatly attached.

1593 SHAKES. Rich. II, II. i. 57 This Land of such deere soules, this deere-deere Land, Deere for her reputation through the world.

    b. Affectionate, fond, loving. Obs. or rare.

1591 SHAKES. Two Gent. IV. iii. 14 Thou art not ignorant what deere good will I beare vnto the banish'd Valentine. c1600 Sonn. cxxxi, For well thou know'st to my dear doting heart Thou art the fairest and most precious jewel. 1683 Pennsylv. Archives I. 70 With dear Love in ye lasting truth I salute thee. a1866 KEBLE Lett. Spir. Counsel (1870) 35 My dear love to and .

 

    c. Often as an attribute of life, heart, heart's blood, etc., as things dear to one. to ride (etc.) for dear life: to ride for one's life, as a thing dear to one; to ride as though life were at stake. Cf. next.

1591 SHAKES. 1 Hen. VI, III. iv. 40 Or else this Blow should broach thy dearest Bloud. 1602 Ham. III. ii. 68 Since my deere Soule was Mistris of my choyse. 1604 Oth. III. iii. 261 Though that her Iesses were my deere heart-strings.

  6. a. Of a high price, high-priced, absolutely or relatively; costly, expensive: the opposite of cheap.

1595 SHAKES. John I. i. 153 Sell your face for fiue pence and 'tis deere.

    c. Said of a time or place in which prices for provisions, etc. are high; dear year, a year of dearth; also of a dealer who charges high prices.

1596 SHAKES. 1 Hen. IV, III. iii. 52 The dearest Chandlers in Europe.