Cower vs Dear - What's the difference?
cower | dear |
To crouch or cringe, or to avoid or shy away from something, in fear.
* Dryden
* Goldsmith
Loved; lovable.
*
*:So this was my future home, I thought!Backed by towering hills, the but faintly discernible purple line of the French boundary off to the southwest, a sky of palest Gobelin flecked with fat, fleecy little clouds, it in truth looked a dear little city; the city of one's dreams.
Loving, affectionate, heartfelt
:
Precious to or greatly valued by someone.
:
High in price; expensive.
:
A formal way to start (possibly after my ) addressing somebody at the beginning of a letter, memo etc.
:
A formal way to start (often after my ) addressing somebody one likes or regards kindly.
:
*, chapter=7
, title= An ironic way to start (often after my ) addressing an inferior.
:
(lb) Noble.
A very kind, loving person.
A beloved person
(obsolete) dearly; at a high price
* Shakespeare
As verbs the difference between cower and dear
is that cower is to crouch or cringe, or to avoid or shy away from something, in fear or cower can be (obsolete|transitive) to cherish with care while dear is (obsolete) to endear.As an adjective dear is
loved; lovable or dear can be severe(ly affected), sore.As a noun dear is
a very kind, loving person.As an adverb dear is
(obsolete) dearly; at a high price.cower
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) kuren or from Scandinavian ((etyl) . Unrelated to coward, which is of Latin origin.Verb
(en verb)- He'd be useless in war. He'd just cower in his bunker until the enemy came in and shot him, or until the war was over.
- Our dame sits cowering o'er a kitchen fire.
- Like falcons, cowering on the nest.
See also
* coward * cowardiceEtymology 2
dear
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) dere, from (etyl) .Adjective
(er)The Mirror and the Lamp, passage=“A very welcome, kind, useful present, that means to the parish. By the way, Hopkins, let this go no further. We don't want the tale running round that a rich person has arrived. Churchill, my dear fellow, we have such greedy sharks, and wolves in lamb's clothing.
Derived terms
* dearly * dear me * dearnessNoun
(en noun)- My cousin is such a dear , always drawing me pictures.
Synonyms
* (kind loving person) darlingDerived terms
* oh dear * the dear knowsAdverb
(en adverb)- If thou attempt it, it will cost thee dear .
