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Made very happy. [Archaic] I am alone felicitate In your dear highness' love. Shak.

e of fencing and sword play; hence, skill in debate and repartee. See Fencing. Enjoy your dear wit, and gay rhetoric, That hath so well been taught her dazzing fence. Milton. Of dauntless courage and consummate skill in fence. Macaulay.

simpleton; a dolt. Extol not riches, then, the toil of fools. Milton. Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other. Franklin.

A specious appearance; superficial quality or show. To me more dear, congenial to my heart, One native charm than all the gloss of art. Goldsmith.

of polity in a state; the established form of law. That free government which we have so dearly purchased, free commonwealth. Milton.

Welfare. [Obs.] All heedless of his dearest hale. Spenser.

Rate; price. [Obs.] "Business is bought at a dear hand, where there is small dispatch." Bacon.

Costly; dear in price; extravagant; as, to hold goods at a high price. If they must be good at so high a rate, they know they may be safe at a cheaper. South.

A term of endearment; darling; -- corrupted from honey. [Prov. Eng.] Wright.

Sweet one; -- a term of endearment. Chaucer. Honey, you shall be well desired in Cyprus. Shak.

ard the way of life from all offense Suffered or done. Wordsworth. I could not love thee, dear, so much, Loved I not honor more. Lovelace.

or artifice; to entrap; to catch; as, to hook a dress; to hook a trout. Hook him, my poor dear, . . . at any sacrifice. W. Collins.

the gods presiding over the house and family; the Lares and Penates; hence, all objects endeared by association with home. -- Household troops, troops appointed to attend and guard the sovereign or his residence.

At what price; how dear. [Obs.] How a score of ewes now Shak.

Endearing; diminutive; as, the hypocoristic form of a name. The hypocoristic or pet form of William. Dr. Murray.

ng agreeably fascinating and charning; enchantment; witchery; glamour. Ye soft illusions, dear deceits, arise! Pope.

impression left. Milton. Such terrible impression made the dream. Shak. I have a father's dear impression, And wish, before I fall into my grave, That I might see her married. Ford.

rting kiss; a kiss of reconciliation. Last with a kiss, she took a long farewell. Dryden. Dear as remembered kisses after death. Tennyson.

prise or catch, as an offender. [Obs.] For which, if be lapsed in this place, I shall pay dear. Shak.

ities of a house; household gods. Hence, Eng.: Hearth or dwelling house. Nor will she her dear Lar forget, Victorious by his benefit. Lovelace. The Lars and Lemures moan with midnight plaint. Milton. Looking backward in vain toward their Lares and lands. Longfellow.