pre|cious

pre|cious
pre|cious «PREHSH uhs», adjective, adverb.
–adj.
1. having great value; worth much; valuable; of great importance. Gold, silver, and platinum are often called the precious metals. »

They were folk to whom sleep was precious (John Galsworthy).

 SYNONYM(S): See syn. under valuable. (Cf. ↑valuable)
2. much loved; dear: »

a precious child.

3. too nice; overrefined: »

precious language. His poetry is flowery, effeminate, almost precious in tone.

4. Informal. very great: »

He's put things in a precious mess!

5. of great moral or spiritual worth: »

the precious blood of Christ (I Peter 1:19).

6. choice; fine: »

Did you ever see such a precious set of villains? (Frederick Marryat).

7. gross; arrant: »

Here, Mr. Speaker, is a precious mockery (Edmund Burke).

–adv.
Informal. very; extremely: »

precious little money. I'll take precious good care never to sing in a theatre again (George Du Maurier).

╂[< Old French precios (with English -ous), learned borrowing from Latin pretiōsus < pretium value, price]
–pre´cious|ly,
–pre´cious|ness, noun.

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • pre´cious|ly — pre|cious «PREHSH uhs», adjective, adverb. –adj. 1. having great value; worth much; valuable; of great importance. Gold, silver, and platinum are often called the precious metals. »They were folk to whom sleep was precious (John Galsworthy).… …   Useful english dictionary

  • pre´cious|ness — pre|cious «PREHSH uhs», adjective, adverb. –adj. 1. having great value; worth much; valuable; of great importance. Gold, silver, and platinum are often called the precious metals. »They were folk to whom sleep was precious (John Galsworthy).… …   Useful english dictionary

  • sem|i|pre|cious — «SEHM ee PREHSH uhs», adjective. having value, but not sufficient value to rank as precious. Amethysts and garnets are semiprecious stones; diamonds and rubies are precious stones …   Useful english dictionary

  • pre — pre·abdomen; pre·acanthella; pre·adamitism; pre·adapt; pre·adaptation; pre·adaptive; pre·admission; pre·adolescence; pre·adult; pre·agonal; pre·am·bu·lar; pre·am·bu·late; pre·amp; pre·amplifier; pre·animism; pre·apprehension; pre·arrange;… …   English syllables

  • cious — an·dro·di·oe·cious; an·dro·mo·noe·cious; an·ti·per·ni·cious; as·tu·cious; atro·cious; atro·cious·ly; atro·cious·ness; au·da·cious·ly; au·da·cious·ness; aus·pi·cious; aus·pi·cious·ly; aus·pi·cious·ness; av·a·ri·cious; av·a·ri·cious·ly;… …   English syllables

  • pre|co´cious|ness — pre|co|cious «prih KOH shuhs», adjective. 1. developed earlier than usual in knowledge, skill, or the like: »This very precocious child could read well at the age of four. 2. developed too early; occurring before the natural time: »a precocious… …   Useful english dictionary

  • pre|co´cious|ly — pre|co|cious «prih KOH shuhs», adjective. 1. developed earlier than usual in knowledge, skill, or the like: »This very precocious child could read well at the age of four. 2. developed too early; occurring before the natural time: »a precocious… …   Useful english dictionary

  • pre|co|cious — «prih KOH shuhs», adjective. 1. developed earlier than usual in knowledge, skill, or the like: »This very precocious child could read well at the age of four. 2. developed too early; occurring before the natural time: »a precocious taste for beer …   Useful english dictionary

  • pre|da´cious|ness — pre|da|cious or pre|da|ceous «prih DAY shuhs», adjective. living by prey; predatory: »Gaudy, fast on the wing and deadly to its prey, the dragonfly…is highly predacious (Science News Letter). ╂[< Latin prae|dārī to rob (< praeda prey) +… …   Useful english dictionary

  • pre|da|cious — or pre|da|ceous «prih DAY shuhs», adjective. living by prey; predatory: »Gaudy, fast on the wing and deadly to its prey, the dragonfly…is highly predacious (Science News Letter). ╂[< Latin prae|dārī to rob (< praeda prey) + English aceous]… …   Useful english dictionary

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