1816 W. Scott I. v. 110 I have no leisure to be Dear Sir-ring myself.
1816 W. Scott III. xii. 255 He dears me too, you see.
1829 F. Marryat III. v. 135 Don't dear me, Sir Hurricane. I am not one of your dears.
1875 Ld. Tennyson iii. iv. 157 Their two graces Do so dear-cousin and royal-cousin him.
1883 E. D. Cook (new ed.) iii Don't come dear womaning of me.