endear
English edit
Alternative forms edit
Etymology edit
Pronunciation edit
- (UK) IPA(key): /ɪnˈdɪə(ɹ)/, /ɛnˈdɪə(ɹ)/
Audio (Southern England) (file) - (US) IPA(key): /ɪnˈdɪɚ/, /ɛnˈdɪɚ/
- Rhymes: -ɪə(ɹ)
Verb edit
endear (third-person singular simple present endears, present participle endearing, simple past and past participle endeared)
- (obsolete) To make (something) more precious or valuable. [16th–17th c.]
- (obsolete) To make (something) more expensive; to increase the cost of. [17th–19th c.]
- (obsolete) To stress (something) as important; to exaggerate. [17th c.]
- 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 18, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
- 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.
- To make (someone) dear or precious. [from 18th c.]
- By giving candy to the children the man tried to endear himself to them.
Synonyms edit
Derived terms edit
Translations edit
to cause to become liked
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