dear adj.1 (2, 4, and 5 peculiar to S.; many instances of “ ” usu. referred to this word belong to the next)
1.
precious,
valuable, worthy
Mer.V. I. i. 62
“Your worth is very
in
my regard,”
R2 I. iii. 156,
1H4 IV. iv. 31
“ men Of
estimation,”
Cor. I. vi. 72, II. iii. 102,
Sonn. xxx. 4
“wail my times'
waste.”
2.
important,
significant 1H4 IV. i. 34,
Rom. V. ii. 19
“full of charge Of
import,”
V. iii. 32,
Lr. III. i. 19
“I . . . dare . . .
Command a
thing to you”
; hence in weakened ironical sense of ‘precious’ Ado I. i.
134,
Mer.V. III. v. 71
“O dear
discretion,”
Lr. I. iv. 296.
3.
affectionate, fond,
loving
Gent. IV. iii. 14
“what good will I
bear,”
Wint. II. iii. 149
“our services,”
Sonn. cxxxi. 3
“my dear doting
heart.”
4.
heartfelt, hearty;
(hence) earnest, zealous LLL. II. i.
1,
1H4 V. v. 36
“your d-est
speed,”
Troil. V. iii. 9.
5.
(a) rare, unusual, or
(b) loving, kind Rom. III. iii.
28*
“This is dear mercy”
(Q1
“meere,” i.e.
mere).
