dear (redirected from dearness)

close/dear to someone's heart

if something is dear to someone's heart, it is very important to them. Animal rights is an issue very close to my heart.

See also: close, heart

cost someone dear

if something that someone does, especially something stupid, costs them dear, it causes them a lot of problems. Later that year he attacked a photographer, an incident that cost him dear.

See also: cost

a Dear John letter (humorous)

a letter that you send to a man telling him you want to end a romantic relationship with him. I've always thought Dear John letters a cowardly way of ending a relationship.

See also: john, letter

hang/hold on (to something/someone) for dear life

to hold something or someone as tightly as you can in order to avoid falling. I sat behind Gary on the bike and hung on for dear life as we sped off. A rope was passed down and she held on to it for dear life as she was pulled to safety.

See also: hang, hold, life

your nearest and dearest (humorous)

your family. When people are stressed at work, they tend to go home and take it out on their nearest and dearest.

See also: near

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hold on for dear life

to use a lot of effort to keep something. With so few jobs available, workers are holding on for dear life to the jobs they already have.

See also: hold, life

near and dear to you

very important to you. People usually give more attention to the things that are particularly near and dear to them.

See also: near

your nearest and dearest

your family. My wife and dozens of her nearest and dearest are from West Virginia.

See also: near