(dearer, dearest, dears)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
You use dear to describe someone or something that you feel affection for.
Mrs Cavendish is a dear friend of mine...
ADJ: ADJ n
2.
If something is dear to you or dear to your heart, you care deeply about it.
This is a subject very dear to the hearts of academics up and down the country.
ADJ: v-link ADJ to n
3.
You use dear in expressions such as 'my dear fellow', 'dear girl', or 'my dear Richard' when you are addressing someone whom you know and are fond of. You can also use expressions like this in a rude way to indicate that you think you are superior to the person you are addressing. (BRIT)
Of course, Toby, my dear fellow, of course...
ADJ: ADJ n [feelings]
4.
Dear is written at the beginning of a letter, followed by the name or title of the person you are writing to.
Dear Peter, I have been thinking about you so much during the past few days...
ADJ: ADJ n
5.
In British English, you begin formal letters with 'Dear Sir' or 'Dear Madam'. In American English, you begin them with 'Sir' or 'Madam'. (WRITTEN)
'Dear sir,' she began.
CONVENTION
6.
You can call someone dear as a sign of affection.
You're a lot like me, dear...
N-VOC [feelings]
7.
You can use dear in expressions such as 'oh dear', 'dear me', and 'dear, dear' when you are sad, disappointed, or surprised about something.
'Oh dear, oh dear.' McKinnon sighed. 'You, too.'
EXCLAM [feelings]
8.
If you say that something is dear, you mean that it costs a lot of money, usually more than you can afford or more than you think it should cost. (mainly BRIT INFORMAL)
CDs here are much dearer than in the States...
= expensive
? cheap
ADJ: usu v-link ADJ [disapproval]
9.
If something that someone does costs them dear, they suffer a lot as a result of it.
Such complacency is costing the company dear.
PHRASE: V inflects