HOLD DEAR

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does hold dear mean? 

• HOLD DEAR (verb)
  The verb HOLD DEAR has 1 sense:

1. be fond of; be attached to

  Familiarity information: HOLD DEAR used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HOLD DEAR (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Be fond of; be attached to

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Synonyms:

care for; cherish; hold dear; treasure

Hypernyms (to "hold dear" is one way to...):

love (have a great affection or liking for)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "hold dear"):

yearn (have affection for; feel tenderness for)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence examples:

Sam cannot hold dear Sue
Sam and Sue hold dear the movie

 Context examples 

By all you hold sacred—by all you hold dear—by your love that is lost—by your hope that lives—for the sake of the Almighty, take me out of this and save my soul from guilt!

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)