dear

dear1 [ dır ] adjective ***

▸ 1 at beginning of letter

▸ 2 loved/liked very much

▸ 3 expensive

▸ 4 used for speaking to someone

▸ 5 nice

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) Dear used in front of someone's name at the beginning of a letter to them:

Dear Diana, I hope you're feeling better now.

a ) Dear Sir/Sirs/Madam used at the beginning of a very formal letter, for example, to a company or to someone you have never met:

Dear Sirs, I am writing to complain about your telephone helpline.

2. ) loved or liked very much:

a dear friend: She is a very dear friend of mine.

dear to someone: You are both very dear to me.

3. ) not usually before noun OLD-FASHIONED expensive

4. ) BRITISH OLD-FASHIONED used for speaking to someone in a friendly way or in a way that shows that you think you are better or more important than them

5. ) nice. People who use this word usually do not sound sincere:

dear little/sweet/old etc.: Raymond is a dear sweet man!

be dear to someone's heart FORMAL

if something is dear to someone's heart, they are very interested in it and care a lot about it:

Education is a subject that is very dear to the President's heart.

dear God SPOKEN

used for expressing strong emotion, especially anger or shock:

Dear God, what is the matter now?

for dear life INFORMAL

using all your strength, speed, or determination in order to avoid danger or serious trouble:

He clung on to the edge of the cliff for dear life.

dear

dear 2 [ dır ] noun count **

1. ) someone who is nice, generous, and helpful to others:

be a dear and do something: Be a dear and go get my glasses for me, will you?

2. ) SPOKEN used for talking to someone you love or are friendly with:

Have you had a nice day, dear?

a ) used for talking in a friendly way to someone whose name you do not know:

Be careful on those steps, dear.

dear

dear 3 [ dır ] interjection **

used when you are upset, disappointed, annoyed, worried, or surprised about something bad that has happened or something wrong that you have done:

oh dear: Oh dear, I'm afraid I've spilled your coffee.

dear

dear 4 [ dır ] adverb

cost someone dear BRITISH

to cause a lot of problems for someone or make them lose a lot of money