endear
verbUK /ɪnˈdɪə(ɹ)/ · US /ɪnˈdɪɚ/
Etymology From en- + dear.
1
Obsolete To make (something) more precious or valuable.
2
Obsolete To make (something) more expensive; to increase the cost of.
3
Obsolete To stress (something) as important; to exaggerate.
- Salvianus Massiliensis[…]saith, that amongst French-men, to lie and forsweare is no vice but a manner of speach. He that would endeare [translating encherir] this Testimonie, might say, it is now rather deemed a vertue among them.1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 18, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
4
To make (someone) dear or precious.
- By giving candy to the children the man tried to endear himself to them.
- Synonyms
- bedear
- Derived terms
- endearer, endearing, endearment, unendearing