dearly
/ˈdɪəli
/adverb
1Very much: he loved his parents dearly...
- He also knows how to keep them in order without getting annoyed - a virtue some parents would dearly love.
- He loved his parents dearly, but sometimes it creeped him out about how nosy they could be.
- My parents gave me a small dog which I love dearly, but she has caused havoc by urinating on the lawn, staining it yellow.
Synonyms
very much, a great deal, greatly, deeply, profoundly, extremely;
fondly, affectionately, devotedly, tenderly
2With much loss or suffering; at great cost: freedom to worship our religion has been bought dearly...
- He said it would cost the government dearly to buy and maintain existing roads from private operators.
- The tiny lunatic fringe that has jumped on the anti-war bandwagon could cost this country dearly.
- What's more, the fixed cost of a space at home would cost dearly as well.
Synonyms
at great cost, at a high cost, at a high price, with great loss, with much loss, with much suffering, with much sacrifice
- hold the field
- hold the fort
- hold the front page
- hold the line
- hold the man
- hold the purse strings
- hold the ring
- hold the stage
- hold thumbs
- hold together (or hold something together)
- hold up
- hold up one's head (or hold one's head high)
- hold water
- hold with
- hole
- hole-and-corner
- hole card
- hole-in-one
- hole in the heart
- hole in the wall
- hole out
- hole punch
- hole saw
- hole up
- holey