endear

• indear

From en- + dear.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ɪnˈdɪə(ɹ)/, /ɛnˈdɪə(ɹ)/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (US) IPA^(key): /ɪnˈdɪɚ/, /ɛnˈdɪɚ/
• Rhymes: -ɪə(ɹ)

endear (third-person singular simple present endears, present participle endearing, simple past and past participle endeared)

1. (obsolete) To make (something) more precious or valuable. [16th–17th c.]
2. (obsolete) To make (something) more expensive; to increase the cost of. [17th–19th c.]
3. (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.

4. To make (someone) dear or precious. [from 18th c.]

   By giving candy to the children the man tried to endear himself to them.

• bedear

• Andree, Dearne, deaner, earned, neared, readen