Dear
Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words [1]
from time, "honor, price," signifies (a), primarily, "accounted as of great price, precious, costly," 1 Corinthians 3:12; Revelation 17:4; 18:12,16; 21:19 , and in the superlative degree, Revelation 18:12; 21:11; the comparative degree is found in 1 Peter 1:7 (polutimoteros, in the most authentic mss., "much more precious"); (b) in the metaphorical sense, "held in honor, esteemed, very dear," Acts 5:34 , "had in honor," Rv (Av, "had in reputation"); so in Hebrews 13:4 , Rv, "let marriage be had in honor;" Av, "is honorable;" Acts 20:24 , "dear," negatively of Paul's estimate of his life; James 5:7 , "precious" (of fruit); 1 Peter 1:19 , "precious" (of the blood of Christ); 2 Peter 1:4 (of God's promises). See Costly , Honorable , Reputation , Precious. Cp. timiotes, preciousness, Revelation 18:19 .
"held in honor" (time, see above), "precious, dear," is found in Luke 7:2 , of the centurion's servant; 14:8, "more honorable;" Philippians 2:29 , "honor" (Av, "reputation"), of devoted servants of Christ; in 1 Peter 2:4,6 , "precious," of stones, metaphorically. See Honorable , Reputation , Precious.
from agape, "love," signifies "beloved;" it is rendered "very dear" in 1 Thessalonians 2:8 (Av, "dear"), of the affection of Paul and his fellow workers for the saints at Thessalonica; in Ephesians 5:1; Colossians 1:7 , Av, "dear;" Rv, "beloved." See Beloved.
Colossians 1:13
Webster's Dictionary [2]
(1): ( superl.) Bearing a high price; high-priced; costly; expensive.
(2): ( superl.) Marked by scarcity or dearth, and exorbitance of price; as, a dear year.
(3): ( superl.) Highly valued; greatly beloved; cherished; precious.
(4): ( superl.) Hence, close to the heart; heartfelt; present in mind; engaging the attention.
(5): ( superl.) Of agreeable things and interests.
(6): ( superl.) Of disagreeable things and antipathies.
(7): ( n.) A dear one; lover; sweetheart.
(8): ( adv.) Dearly; at a high price.
(9): ( v. t.) To endear.
King James Dictionary [3]
Dear, a.
