Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Dear \Dear\, n.
   A dear one; lover; sweetheart.

         That kiss I carried from thee, dear.     --Shak.

Dear \Dear\, adv.
   Dearly; at a high price.

         If thou attempt it, it will cost thee dear. --Shak.

Dear \Dear\, v. t.
   To endear. [Obs.] --Shelton.

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.

Source : WordNet®

dear
     n 1: a beloved person; used as terms of endearment [syn: {beloved},
           {dearest}, {loved one}, {honey}, {love}]
     2: a sweet innocent mild-mannered person (especially a child)
        [syn: {lamb}]

dear
     adv 1: with affection; "she loved him dearly"; "he treats her
            affectionately" [syn: {dearly}, {affectionately}]
     2: at a great cost; "he paid dearly for the food"; "this cost
        him dear" [syn: {dearly}]

dear
     adj 1: dearly loved [syn: {beloved}, {darling}]
     2: with or in a close or intimate relationship; "a good
        friend"; "my sisters and brothers are near and dear" [syn:
         {good}, {near}]
     3: earnest; "one's dearest wish"; "devout wishes for their
        success"; "heartfelt condolences" [syn: {devout}, {earnest},
         {heartfelt}]
     4: having a high price; "costly jewelry"; "high-priced
        merchandise"; "much too dear for my pocketbook"; "a pricey
        restaurant" [syn: {costly}, {dear(p)}, {high-priced}, {pricey},
         {pricy}]