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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

endear en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • (Southern-England) audio
  • /ɛnˈdɪɚ/ (US)
  • /ɪnˈdɪə(ɹ)/ (UK)
  • /ɪnˈdɪɚ/ (US)
  • /ɛnˈdɪə(ɹ)/ (UK)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁én Proto-Italic *en Proto-Italic *en- Latin in- Old French en-bor. Middle English en- English en- English dear English endear From en- + dear.

Meanings

  1. (obsolete) To make (something) more precious or valuable.
  2. (obsolete) To make (something) more expensive; to increase the cost of.
  3. (obsolete) To stress (something) as important; to exaggerate.
    • Salvianus Massiliensis[…]saith, that amongst French-men, to lie and forsweare is no vice but a manner of speach. He that would endeare [translating encherir] this Testimonie, might say, it is now rather deemed a vertue among them. 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 18, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
  4. To make (someone) dear or precious.
    • By giving candy to the children the man tried to endear himself to them.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
endears Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
indear alternative lexicographic
endearing Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
endeared Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
endeared Tense=Past lexicographic

Deriveds

endearing · unendearing · endearer · endearment

Synonyms

bedear

Translations (6)

ru расположить (to cause to become liked) · cs získat oblibu (to cause to become liked) · fi saada pitämään (to cause to become liked) · cs získat přízeň (to cause to become liked) · fi miellyttää (to cause to become liked) · ru располагать (to cause to become liked)