2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Dear  \Dear\,  a.  [Compar.  {Dearer};  superl.  {Dearest}.]  [OE. 
  dere,  deore,  AS  de['o]re;  akin  to  OS  diuri,  D.  duur,  OHG. 
  tiuri,  G.  theuer  teuer,  Icel.  d?r,  Dan.  &  Sw  dyr.  Cf 
  {Darling},  {Dearth}.] 
  1.  Bearing  a  high  price;  high-priced;  costly;  expensive. 
 
  The  cheapest  of  us  is  ten  groats  too  dear.  --Shak. 
 
  2.  Marked  by  scarcity  or  dearth,  and  exorbitance  of  price; 
  as  a  dear  year. 
 
  3.  Highly  valued;  greatly  beloved;  cherished;  precious. 
  ``Hear  me  dear  lady.''  --Shak. 
 
  Neither  count  I  my  life  dear  unto  myself.  --Acts  xx 
  24. 
 
  And  the  last  joy  was  dearer  than  the  rest.  --Pope. 
 
  Dear  as  remember'd  kisses  after  death.  --Tennyson. 
 
  4.  Hence  close  to  the  heart;  heartfelt;  present  in  mind; 
  engaging  the  attention. 
  a  Of  agreeable  things  and  interests. 
 
  [I'll]  leave  you  to  attend  him:  some  dear  cause 
  Will  in  concealment  wrap  me  up  awhile.  --Shak. 
 
  His  dearest  wish  was  to  escape  from  the  bustle 
  and  glitter  of  Whitehall.  --Macaulay. 
  b  Of  disagreeable  things  and  antipathies. 
 
  In  our  dear  peril.  --Shak. 
 
  Would  I  had  met  my  dearest  foe  in  heaven  Or  ever 
  I  had  seen  that  day  --Shak. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  dearest 
  n  :  a  beloved  person;  used  as  terms  of  endearment  [syn:  {beloved}, 
  {dear},  {loved  one},  {honey},  {love}] 

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