dear
gb/dˈɪɹ/ us/dˈɪɹ/
A2
Engels
~ 2800
Betekenissen
0 betekenissen
adjective
A2
property
1
loved or treasured
Loved or liked very much.
Gebruikspatroon:
[someone/something] is dear to [someone]
Veelgemaakte fout:
Learners sometimes confuse 'dear' meaning 'loved' with 'dear' meaning 'expensive'. Context is important.
Synoniemen
beloved (More formal and poetic than 'dear', often used in romantic or ceremonial contexts.)
Antoniemen
unloved (Describes someone or something not cared for or valued.)
Woordcombinaties
dear friend
|dear family
|someone dear
|hold dear
|dear to my heart
Thema's
emotions
|relationships
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Voorbeelden
- She is a dear friend who has always been there for me.
- This old photo is very dear to me.
- He lost someone very dear to him last year.
- The memories of our trip are dear to my heart.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
- My dog is very dear to me.
- She is a dear friend.
- This book is dear to my father.
- My grandmother is dear to our family.
adjective
B1
property
2
costing a lot
Costing a lot of money.
Gebruikspatroon:
[something] is dear
Veelgemaakte fout:
Learners may not realize this meaning is less common in American English, where 'expensive' is preferred.
Synoniemen
expensive (The most common synonym; interchangeable in most contexts.)
Antoniemen
cheap (Low in price, the opposite of 'dear' in this sense.)
Woordcombinaties
too dear
|very dear
|a bit dear
|rather dear
Thema's
money
|shopping
|finance
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Voorbeelden
- The rent in this part of the city is quite dear.
- That shop is a bit dear, but the quality is excellent.
- Tickets for the concert are too dear for me.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
- This dress is too dear.
- The food here is dear.
- That phone is very dear.
- The hotel was a bit dear for us.
Zelfstandig naamwoord
A2
entity
3
beloved person (address)
Someone you love or like, used when speaking to them.
Gebruikspatroon:
[Dear], [rest of sentence]
Veelgemaakte fout:
Learners sometimes overuse 'dear' in formal writing where it may sound old-fashioned or overly intimate.
Synoniemen
darling (More intimate or romantic than 'dear'.)
Woordcombinaties
my dear
|oh dear
Thema's
relationships
|emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Voorbeelden
- Thank you, my dear, for your help.
- Don't worry, dear, everything will be fine.
- Come here, dear, and sit down.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
- I love you, dear.
- Come here, dear.
- Good night, dear.
- Thank you, my dear.
interjection
A2
action
4
expression of surprise or concern
'Oh dear' means you are surprised, worried, or sorry about something.
Gebruikspatroon:
'Oh dear' + [clause]
Veelgemaakte fout:
Learners may think 'oh dear' sounds formal; in fact it can be used in everyday speech but may seem slightly old-fashioned in some dialects.
Synoniemen
oh no ('Oh no' is more informal and often stronger in emotional tone.)
Woordcombinaties
oh dear
Thema's
emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Voorbeelden
- Oh dear, I forgot my keys at home!
- Oh dear, that's not good news.
- Oh dear, did you hurt yourself?
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
- Oh dear, I am late.
- Oh dear, I lost my bag.
- Oh dear, that is bad.
- Oh dear, she is sick.
Grammatica
Lemmavorm
dear
IPA
GB/dˈɪɹ/
US/dˈɪɹ/
Lettergrepen en klemtoon
dear (1 lettergreep)
Stress on 1st syllable (dear)
Woordvormen
Adjective
- Base: dear
- Comparative: dearer
- Superlative: dearest
Noun
- Base: dear
- Plural: dears
Woordfamilie
Uitdrukkingen
Dear Sir or Madam
1/dˈɪɹ sˈɚ ˈɔɹ mˈædəm/
fixed phrase
formal
formal letter opening when recipient unknown
Used at the start of a formal letter when you do not know who will read it.
Voorbeelden
- Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to apply for the position advertised.
- Please find attached my CV. Dear Sir or Madam, I look forward to hearing from you.
hold dear
1/hˈoʊld dˈɪɹ/
fixed phrase
value greatly or cherish emotionally
To care about something or someone very much.
Voorbeelden
- I hold my family dearly and always put them first.
- He holds his freedom dearly.
oh dear
1/ˈoʊ dˈɪɹ/
fixed phrase
mild distress or surprise exclamation
'Oh dear' is something you say when you are worried, surprised, or sorry about something small or unexpected.
Voorbeelden
- Oh dear, I forgot to bring my wallet!
- Oh dear, the cake has burned.
oh dear
1/ˈoʊ dˈɪɹ/
fixed phrase
concern or mild dismay
We say “oh dear” when something has gone wrong.
Voorbeelden
- Oh dear, I think I left my keys at home.
- Oh dear—that’s not good.
- Oh dear, are you hurt?