a. [ Compar. Dearer superl. Dearest ] [ OE. dere, deore, AS. deóre; akin to OS. diuri, D. duur, OHG. tiuri, G. theuer, teuer, Icel. d&ymacr_;rr, Dan. & Sw. dyr. Cf. Darling, Dearth. ] 1. Bearing a high price; high-priced; costly; expensive. [ 1913 Webster ]

The cheapest of us is ten groats too dear. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Marked by scarcity or dearth, and exorbitance of price; as, a dear year. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Highly valued; greatly beloved; cherished; precious. “Hear me, dear lady.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Neither count I my life dear unto myself. Acts xx. 24. [ 1913 Webster ]

And the last joy was dearer than the rest. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

Dear as remember'd kisses after death. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Hence, close to the heart; heartfelt; present in mind; engaging the attention. (a) Of agreeable things and interests. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ I'll ] leave you to attend him: some dear cause
Will in concealment wrap me up awhile. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

His dearest wish was to escape from the bustle and glitter of Whitehall. Macaulay.

(b) Of disagreeable things and antipathies. [ 1913 Webster ]

In our dear peril. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Would I had met my dearest foe in heaven
Or ever I had seen that day. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To endear. [ Obs. ] Shelton. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Dearly; at a high price. [ 1913 Webster ]

If thou attempt it, it will cost thee dear. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A dear one; lover; sweetheart. [ 1913 Webster ]

That kiss I carried from thee, dear. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A four-wheeled carriage, with curtained sides. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Bought at a high price; as, dear-bought experience. [ 1913 Webster ]

variant of Dere, v. t. & n. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Same as Deary. Dickens. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A darling. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Greatly beloved. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]