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Dear vs Special - What's the difference?

dear | special |

As adjectives the difference between dear and special

is that dear is loved; lovable or dear can be severe(ly affected), sore while special is distinguished by a unique or unusual quality.

As nouns the difference between dear and special

is that dear is a very kind, loving person while special is a reduction in consumer cost (usually for a limited time) for items or services rendered.

As a verb dear

is (obsolete) to endear.

As a adverb dear

is (obsolete) dearly; at a high price.

dear

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) dere, from (etyl) .

Adjective

(er)
  • 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= 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.
  • An ironic way to start (often after my ) addressing an inferior.
  • :
  • (lb) Noble.
  • Derived terms
    * dearly * dear me * dearness

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A very kind, loving person.
  • My cousin is such a dear , always drawing me pictures.
  • A beloved person
  • Synonyms
    * (kind loving person) darling
    Derived terms
    * oh dear * the dear knows

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete) To endear.
  • (Shelton)

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • (obsolete) dearly; at a high price
  • * Shakespeare
  • If thou attempt it, it will cost thee dear .

    Etymology 2

    (etyl) dere, from (etyl) . Cognate with the above

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Severe(ly affected), sore
  • Statistics

    *

    special

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Distinguished by a unique or unusual quality.
  • a special episode of a television series
  • Of particular interest or value; certain; dear; beloved; favored.
  • Everyone is special to someone.
  • (euphemistic, derogatory) Retarded; mentally handicapped
  • He goes to a special school.
  • Constituting or relating to a species.
  • The seven dark spots is a special property unique to ''Coccinella septempunctata''.
  • Chief in excellence.
  • * Shakespeare
  • The king hath drawn / The special head of all the land together.

    Derived terms

    * special attack * special constable * special defense * special delivery * special education / special ed * special forces * specialisation / specialization * specialise / specialize * specialist * speciality, specialty * specially * specialness * Special Olympics * special ops

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A reduction in consumer cost (usually for a limited time) for items or services rendered.
  • We're running a special on turkey for Thanksgiving.
  • (broadcasting) Unusual or exceptional episode of a series
  • (British, colloquial) A special constable.
  • Anything that is not according to normal practice, plan, or schedule, as an unscheduled run of transportation that is normally scheduled.
  • Thousands came to see the special that carried the President's coffin.
  • (video games) special move
  • * 1995 , "Tony Pordon", Tekken Review [PSX]'' (on newsgroup ''rec.games.video.misc )
  • Using the right moves, you can sometimes chain 2 specials in a row to form multiple hit combos.

    Statistics

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