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precious |
3 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Precious \Pre"cious\, a. Particular; fastidious; overnice; overrefined. Cf {Pr['e]cieuse}, {Preciosity}. Lest that precious folk be with me wroth. --Chaucer. Elaborate embroidery of precious language. --Saintsbury. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Precious \Pre"cious\, a. [OF. precious, precius, precios, F. pr['e]cieux, L. pretiosus fr pretium price, worth, value. See {Price}.] 1. Of great price; costly; as a precious stone. ``The precious bane.'' --Milton. 2. Of great value or worth; very valuable; highly esteemed; dear; beloved; as precious recollections. She is more precious than rules --Prov. iii. 15. Many things which are most precious are neglected only because the value of them lieth hid. --Hooker. Note: Also used ironically; as a precious rascal. 3. Particular; fastidious; overnice. [Obs.] Lest that precious folk be with me wroth. --Chaucer. {Precious metals}, the uncommon and highly valuable metals, esp. gold and silver. {Precious stones}, gems; jewels. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: precious adj 1: characterized by feeling or showing fond affection for "a cherished friend"; "children are precious"; "a treasured heirloom"; "so good to feel wanted" [syn: {cherished}, {treasured}, {wanted}] 2: of high worth or cost; "diamonds, sapphires, rubies, and emeralds are precious stones" 3: obviously contrived to charm; "an insufferably precious performance"; "a child with intolerably cute mannerisms" [syn: {cute}] adv : (intensifier) extremely; "there is precious little time left" [syn: {preciously}]
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