Etymology Inherited from Middle English tresour, from Old French tresor (“treasury”), from Latin thēsaurus (“treasure”), from Ancient Greek θησαυρός (thēsaurós, “treasure house”). Mostly displaced native Old English goldhord (See goldhoard) and Old English ġestrēon. Doublet of thesaurus.
1
Literally A collection of valuable things; accumulated wealth; a stock of money, jewels, etc.
It seems there was a worm that slept upon a pile of treasure, which it had zealously heaped up under a stone bluff.1961, Norma Lorre Goodrich, “Beowulf”, in The Medieval Myths, New York: The New American Library, page 39:
"Now," resumed Silver, "here it is. You give us the chart to get the treasure by, and drop shooting poor seamen and stoving of their heads in while asleep. You do that, and we'll offer you a choice. Either you come aboard along of us, once the treasure shipped, and then I'll give you my affy-davy, upon my word of honour, to clap you somewhere safe ashore.1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, chapter XX, in Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC:
Ye shall be peculiar treasure unto me.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Exodus 19:5:
You have ſent me a Treaſure, and I vvould not ſhare time to tell you ſo, till I had ſomevvhat ſatisfied the thirſt I had to drink dovvn many of thoſe Excellent Sermons, vvhich I have ſo long deſired: […]1640 July 30 (date written; Gregorian calendar), [John Towers], “Upon the Sending of the First Volume of These Sermons to the Right Reverend Father in God, the Bishop of Peterborough, then My Diocesan, I Received This Letter”, in John Donne, XXVI. Sermons (Never before Publish’d) Preached by that Learned and Reverend Divine John Donne, […] The Third Volume, London: […] Thomas Newcomb, […], published 1661, →OCLC:
2 more examples
I found the whole to answer your Account of it, a Heap of Jewels, unstrung and unpolisht; yet so dazling in their Disorder, that I soon perceiv'd I had seiz'd a Treasure.1681, Nahum Tate, The History of King Lear:
She's my Filipino baby she's my treasure and my pet / Her teeth are bright and pearly and her hair is black as jet1946, Ernest Tubb, Filipino Baby:
"Hello, Treasure," he said without turning round. For a second she hesitated, standing in the soft light of the lamp, the deep blue of the rug making a background for her, the black fur collar of her coat framing the vivid beauty of her face.1922, Francis Rufus Bellamy, A Flash of Gold:
'My treasure!' cried the fond lady, 'why didn't you tell Auntie sooner?' and for reply Cyril hung his head and whispered the fatal insuperable excuse of childhood: 'I didn't like to.'1927, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], Max Carrados Mysteries:
Etymology Inherited from Middle English tresour, from Old French tresor (“treasury”), from Latin thēsaurus (“treasure”), from Ancient Greek θησαυρός (thēsaurós, “treasure house”). Mostly displaced native Old English goldhord (See goldhoard) and Old English ġestrēon. Doublet of thesaurus.
1
Of a person or thing To consider to be precious; to value highly.
Oh, this ring is beautiful! I’ll treasure it forever.
I LOVE it, I love it ; and who shall dare To chide me for loving that old Arm-chair ? I've treasured it long as a sainted prize ; I've bedewed it with tears, and embalmed it with sighs.1838, Eliza Cook, “The Old Armchair”, in Melania and other Poems:
2
To store or stow in a safe place.
The rose-buds, withered as they were, were still treasured under his cuirass, and nearest to his heart.1825, Walter Scott, The Talisman:
3
To amass or collect together as though a treasure.
He seems to have carefully treasured up all the tales he heard, and he wrote and published them, under the feigned name of Gian Alesio Abbatutis, in his native dialect, not long before his death.1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, volume II, London: William Harrison Ainsworth, page 243: