King James Bible Dictionary

DEAR, adjective

1. Scarce; not plentiful.

2. Bearing a high price in comparison of the usual price; more costly than usual; of a higher price than the customary one. Wheat is dear at a dollar a bushel, when the usual price is seventy five cents. This is the effect of scarcity and demand.

3. Of a high value in estimation; greatly valued; beloved; precious.

And the last joy was dearer than the rest.

Be ye followers of God, as dear children. Ephesians 5:1.

DEAR, adjective Hurtful; grievous; hateful.

DEAR, verb transitive To make dear

DEAR, noun A darling; a word denoting tender affection or endearment; as, my dear

DE'ARBOUGHT, adjective Purchased at a high price; as dearbought experience; dearbought blessings.

DE'ARLING, (See Darling)

DE'ARLOVED, adjective Greatly beloved.

DE'ARLY, adverb

1. At a high price; as, he pays dearly for his rashness.

2. With great fondness; as, we love our children dearly; dearly beloved.

DEARN, adjective Lonely; solitary; melancholy.

DE'ARNESS, noun

1. Scarcity; high price, or a higher price than the customary one; as the dearness of corn.

2. Fondness; nearness to the heart or affections; great value in estimation; preciousness; tender love; as the dearness of friendship.

DEARNLY, adverb Secretly; privately.

A scarcity of provisions (1 Kings 17). There were frequent dearths in Palestine. In the days of Abram there was a "famine in the land" (Genesis 12:10), so also in the days of Jacob (47:4, 13). We read also of dearths in the time of the judges (Ruth 1:1), and of the kings (2 Samuel 21:1; 1 Kings 18:2; 2 Kings 4:38; 8:1).

In New Testament times there was an extensive famine in Palestine (Acts 11:28) in the fourth year of the reign of the emperor Claudius (A.D. 44 and 45).

[FAMINE]

DEARTH, noun derth.

1. Scarcity; as a dearth of corn.

2. Want; need; famine;

3. Barrenness; sterility; as a dearth of plot.

DEARTIC'ULATE, verb transitive To disjoint.