dear

adjective

/dɪə(r)/

/dɪr/

(comparative dearer, superlative dearest)

Idioms

jump to other results

Dear
used at the beginning of a letter before the name or title of the person that you are writing to
- Dear Sir or Madam
- Dear Mrs Jones
- Dear Beth/Dad/Aunt Susan
- (old-fashioned) My dear sister
loved by or important to somebody
- He's one of my dearest friends.
- They are grieving over their dear departed ones.
- dear to somebody Her daughter is very dear to her.
- They lost everything that was dear to them.
Homophones dear | deer
dear deer
/dɪə(r)/

/dɪr/
- dear adjective
  Kate is a very dear friend of mine.
- dear noun
  Congratulations, my dear!
- deer noun
  The team is responsible for conserving red deer in the forest.
[only before noun] (old-fashioned) used in speech or writing to address somebody in a polite or friendly way
- Martin, my dear fellow…
- Take my advice, dear reader.
[not usually before noun] (British English) expensive; costing a lot of money
- Everything's so dear now, isn't it?
- There was a shortage of potatoes, and they became dear.
Topics Moneyc2

opposite cheap

Word OriginOld English dēore, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch dier ‘beloved’, also to Dutch duur and German teuer ‘expensive’.

Idioms

close/dear/near to somebody’s heart

having a lot of importance and interest for somebody

dear old/little…

used to describe somebody in a way that shows love
- Dear old Sue! I knew she'd help.
- Their baby's a dear little thing.
- It's always good to hear from dear old Harry!

for dear life | for your life

as hard or as fast as possible
- She was holding on to the rope for dear life.
- Run for your life!

hang/hold on for dear life (North American English, British English)

(also hang/hold on for/like grim death British English)

(informal) to hold somebody/something very tightly because you are afraid

hold somebody/something dear

(formal) to care very much for somebody/something; to value somebody/something highly
- He had destroyed everything we held dear.

your nearest and dearest

(informal) your close family and friends

dear

exclamation

/dɪə(r)/

/dɪr/

jump to other results

used in expressions that show that you are surprised, upset, annoyed or worried
- Oh dear! I think I've lost my purse!
- Oh dear! What a shame.
- Dear me! What a mess!
- Dear oh dear! What are you going to do now?
Word OriginOld English dēore, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch dier ‘beloved’, also to Dutch duur and German teuer ‘expensive’.

dear

noun

/dɪə(r)/

/dɪr/

jump to other results

(informal) a kind person
- Isn't he a dear?
- Be a dear and fetch me my coat.
see also old dearTopics Personal qualitiesc1
used when speaking to somebody you love
- Would you like a drink, dear?
- Come here, my dear.
Homophones dear | deer
dear deer
/dɪə(r)/

/dɪr/
- dear adjective
  Kate is a very dear friend of mine.
- dear noun
  Congratulations, my dear!
- deer noun
  The team is responsible for conserving red deer in the forest.
used when speaking to somebody in a friendly way, for example by an older person to a young person or a child
- What's your name, dear?
compare duck

Word OriginOld English dēore, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch dier ‘beloved’, also to Dutch duur and German teuer ‘expensive’.

dear

adverb

/dɪə(r)/

/dɪr/

(British English)Idioms

jump to other results

at a high price
- to buy cheap and sell dear
Word OriginOld English dēore, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch dier ‘beloved’, also to Dutch duur and German teuer ‘expensive’.

Idioms

cost somebody dear

to cost somebody a lot of money
- The campaign for the presidency has cost him dear.
to make somebody suffer a lot
- That one mistake has cost him dear over the years.

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单词	dear
释义	dear adjective /dɪə(r)/ /dɪr/ (comparative dearer, superlative dearest) Idioms jump to other results Dear used at the beginning of a letter before the name or title of the person that you are writing to Dear Sir or Madam Dear Mrs Jones Dear Beth/Dad/Aunt Susan (old-fashioned) My dear sister loved by or important to somebody He's one of my dearest friends. They are grieving over their dear departed ones. dear to somebody Her daughter is very dear to her. They lost everything that was dear to them. Homophones dear \| deerdear deer /dɪə(r)/ /dɪr/ dear adjective Kate is a very dear friend of mine. dear noun Congratulations, my dear! deer noun The team is responsible for conserving red deer in the forest. [only before noun] (old-fashioned) used in speech or writing to address somebody in a polite or friendly way Martin, my dear fellow… Take my advice, dear reader. [not usually before noun] (British English) expensive; costing a lot of money Everything's so dear now, isn't it? There was a shortage of potatoes, and they became dear. Topics Moneyc2 opposite cheap Word OriginOld English dēore, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch dier ‘beloved’, also to Dutch duur and German teuer ‘expensive’. Idioms close/dear/near to somebody’s heart having a lot of importance and interest for somebody dear old/little… used to describe somebody in a way that shows love Dear old Sue! I knew she'd help. Their baby's a dear little thing. It's always good to hear from dear old Harry! for dear life \| for your life as hard or as fast as possible She was holding on to the rope for dear life. Run for your life! hang/hold on for dear life (North American English, British English) (also hang/hold on for/like grim death British English) (informal) to hold somebody/something very tightly because you are afraid hold somebody/something dear (formal) to care very much for somebody/something; to value somebody/something highly He had destroyed everything we held dear. your nearest and dearest (informal) your close family and friends dear exclamation /dɪə(r)/ /dɪr/ jump to other results used in expressions that show that you are surprised, upset, annoyed or worried Oh dear! I think I've lost my purse! Oh dear! What a shame. Dear me! What a mess! Dear oh dear! What are you going to do now? Word OriginOld English dēore, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch dier ‘beloved’, also to Dutch duur and German teuer ‘expensive’. dear noun /dɪə(r)/ /dɪr/ jump to other results (informal) a kind person Isn't he a dear? Be a dear and fetch me my coat. see also old dearTopics Personal qualitiesc1 used when speaking to somebody you love Would you like a drink, dear? Come here, my dear. Homophones dear \| deerdear deer /dɪə(r)/ /dɪr/ dear adjective Kate is a very dear friend of mine. dear noun Congratulations, my dear! deer noun The team is responsible for conserving red deer in the forest. used when speaking to somebody in a friendly way, for example by an older person to a young person or a child What's your name, dear? compare duck Word OriginOld English dēore, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch dier ‘beloved’, also to Dutch duur and German teuer ‘expensive’. dear adverb /dɪə(r)/ /dɪr/ (British English)Idioms jump to other results at a high price to buy cheap and sell dear Word OriginOld English dēore, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch dier ‘beloved’, also to Dutch duur and German teuer ‘expensive’. Idioms cost somebody dear to cost somebody a lot of money The campaign for the presidency has cost him dear. to make somebody suffer a lot That one mistake has cost him dear over the years.
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