dear

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Contents

English[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

Middle English dere, from Old English dēore. Cognate with Dutch duur (“costly, precious”), German teuer (“costly, precious”), Icelandic dýr (“expensive”), Norwegian dyr, Swedish dyr (“expensive”).

Adjective[edit]

dear (comparative dearer, superlative dearest)

  1. Loved; lovable.
  2. Loving, affectionate, heartfelt
    Such dear embrace tenderly comforts even in this dear sorrow
  3. Precious to or greatly valued by someone.
    The dearer the giver, the dearer the trinket he brings!
  4. High in price; expensive.
    The dearer the jewel, the greater the love expressed?
  5. A formal way to start (possibly after my) addressing somebody at the beginning of a letter, memo etc.
    Dear Sir/Madam/Miss, please notice our offices will be closed during the following bank holidays:
  6. A formal way to start (often after my) addressing somebody one likes or regards kindly.
    My dear friend, I feel better as soon as you come sit beside my sickbed!
  7. An ironic way to start (often after my) addressing an inferior.
    My dear boy, if your grades don't pick up I won't bounce you on but over my knee!
  8. (obsolete) noble
Derived terms[edit]
Translations[edit]
loved; lovable
loving, affectionate, heartfelt
precious to or greatly valued by someone
high in price; expensive
formal way of addressing
an informal way of addressing the recipient in a letter's opening line
a formal way to start (often after my) addressing somebody one likes or regards kindly
an ironic way to start (often after my) addressing an inferior
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked

Noun[edit]

dear (plural dears)

  1. A very kind, loving person.
    My cousin is such a dear, always drawing me pictures.
  2. A beloved person
Synonyms[edit]
Derived terms[edit]
Translations[edit]
a very kind, loving person
beloved#noun — see beloved

Verb[edit]

dear (third-person singular simple present dears, present participle dearing, simple past and past participle deared)

  1. (obsolete) To endear.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Shelton to this entry?)

Adverb[edit]

dear (comparative more dear, superlative most dear)

  1. (obsolete) dearly; at a high price
    • Shakespeare
      If thou attempt it, it will cost thee dear.

Etymology 2[edit]

Middle English dere, from Old English dēor. Cognate with the above

Adjective[edit]

dear (comparative more dear, superlative most dear)

  1. Severe(ly affected), sore
Translations[edit]
sore — see sore

Statistics[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

Irish[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA: [dʲaɾˠ]

Verb[edit]

dear (present analytic dearann, future analytic dearfaidh, verbal noun dearadh, past participle deartha)

  1. To draw (design).

Conjugation[edit]

First Conjugation (A)
singular plural relative autonomous
first second third first second third
indicative present dearaim dearann tú;
dearair†		 dearann sé, sí dearaimid dearann sibh dearann siad;
dearaid†		 a dhearann;
a dhearas		 deartar
past dhear mé;
dhearas		 dhear tú;
dhearais		 dhear sé, sí dhearamar;
dhear muid		 dhear sibh;
dhearabhair		 dhear siad;
dhearadar		 a dhear dearadh
past habitual dhearainn dheartá dhearadh sé, sí dhearaimis;
dhearadh muid		 dhearadh sibh dhearaidís;
dhearadh siad		 a dhearadh dheartaí
future dearfaidh mé;
dearfad		 dearfaidh tú;
dearfair†		 dearfaidh sé, sí dearfaimid;
dearfaidh muid		 dearfaidh sibh dearfaidh siad;
dearfaid†		 a dhearfaidh;
a dhearfas		 dearfar
conditional dhearfainn dhearfá dhearfadh sé, sí dhearfaimis;
dhearfadh muid		 dhearfadh sibh dhearfaidís;
dhearfadh siad		 a dhearfadh dhearfaí
subjunctive present go ndeara mé;
go ndearad†		 go ndeara tú;
go ndearair†		 go ndeara sé, sí go ndearaimid;
go ndeara muid		 go ndeara sibh go ndeara siad;
go ndearaid†		 — go ndeartar
past dá ndearainn dá ndeartá dá ndearadh sé, sí dá ndearaimis;
dá ndearadh muid		 dá ndearadh sibh dá ndearaidís;
dá ndearadh siad		 — dá ndeartaí
imperative dearaim dear dearadh sé, sí dearaimis dearaigí;
dearaidh†		 dearaidís — deartar
verbal noun dearadh
past participle deartha

† Dialect form

Mutation[edit]

Irish mutation
Radical Lenition Eclipsis
dear dhear ndear
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every
possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.
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