dear me

dear me

An expression of surprise or disappointment. Dear me, it seems I've forgotten the casserole I made for tonight's meeting.

See also: dear

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

Dear me!

an expression of mild dismay or regret. Sue: Dear me, is this all there is? Mary: There's more in the kitchen. "Oh, dear me!" fretted John, "I'm late again."

See also: dear

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

dear me

Also, oh dear. A polite exclamation expressing surprise, distress, sympathy, etc. For example, Dear me, I forgot to mail it, or Oh dear, what a bad time you've been having. These usages may originally have invoked God, as in dear God or oh God , which also continue to be so used. [Late 1600s]

See also: dear

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

dear me

,

(dear,) oh dear

used for expressing worry, sympathy, concern, etc: Dear me! It’s started to rain and I’ve just hung out the washing!

See also: dear

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017