dearlier

English

Adverb

dearlier

1. (rare) comparative form of dearly: more dearly
   • 1549 August 26 (Gregorian calendar), Erasmus, “The Paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Canonicall Epistle of S. James. Chapter II.”, in Iohn Olde [i.e., John Old], transl., The Seconde Tome or Volume of the Paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Newe Testament: […], London: […] Edwarde Whitchurche, →OCLC, folio xxxii, verso:

     Woulde it greue hym to ſet naught by money foꝛ Chꝛiſtes ſake, that is readye to leade hys ſonne, whome the father loued dearlier than he did hym ſelfe, vnto death?

   • 1622 (first performance), Thomas Middleton, William Rowley, The Changeling: […], London: […] [Thomas Newcombe] for Humphrey Moseley, […], published 1653, →OCLC, Act II:

     How lovely now doſt thou appear to me! Never was man dearlier rewarded.

   • c. 1623–1624 (date written), Tho[mas] Middleton, “Women Beware Women. A Tragedy”, in Two New Playes. […], London: […] Humphrey Moseley, […], published 1657, →OCLC, Act I, scene ii, page 101:

     Neece. Not I Sir! all my joys that word cuts off; / You made profeſſion once you lov’d me beſt; / ’Twas but profeſſion! / Hip[polito]. I do’t too truly, / And fear I ſhall be chid for’t: Know the worſt then: / I love thee dearlier then an Uncle can.

   • 1639, Hen[ry] Glapthorne, Argalus and Parthenia. […], London: […] R[ichard] Bishop for Daniel Pakeman, […], page 20:

     Oh you are pleaſant Strephon. Sapho ſay, / Are you as cruell as Aminta? Day / Loves not the Sunne-ſhine dearlier than my flame / Is equally devoted to your name: / To yours Aminta joyntly, Oh you two, / Are clearer, ſweeter than the morning dew / Falling in May on Lillies, fairer farre / Than Venus Swannes, or ſpotleſſe Ermins are.

   • 1656, J. C. [pseudonym; perhaps Edward Sexby], “[Intercepted letters, suppos’d from Sexby.] Jo. Smith for his best friend E. C.”, in Thomas Birch, A Collection of the State Papers of John Thurloe, Esq; […], volume V (Containing Papers of the Year MDCLV), London: […] [T]he Executor of the late Mr. Fletcher Gyles; Thomas Woodward, […]; [a]nd Charles Davis, […], published 1742, page 307:

     My beſt reſpect to our beſt friend. If thou loveſt me, be merry. He deſires it, who loves thee dearlier than himſelf, and ſhall ever remain / Thy truly loving huſband, J. C.

   • 1680, Richard Baxter, The True and Only Way of Concord of All the Christian Churches: The Desirableness of It, and the Detection of False Dividing Terms, London: […] John Hancock […], page 120:

     Communion with Chriſt, his body and blood and his Saints in his Ordinances, is a bleſſing ſo great, that he that robs ſuch of it that have right to it, may anſwer it dearlier than if he had rob’d them of their purſes: […]

   • 1887, M. Bramston, “In Hiding”, in Charlotte M[ary] Yonge, editor, The Monthly Packet of Evening Readings for Members of the English Church, third series, volume XIII, London: Walter Smith (Late Mozley), […], part II, chapter XV, page 445:

     Then tell her I’m awfully sorry—and I love her dearlier than any one else in the world, and I couldn’t make out what we were all about when papa came and carried me away—and I’m very glad she did steal me—and when I’m grown up, I’ll come and live with her, and be always good for ever!

   • [1900?], Nora Chesson, “Geraint and Enid”, in Tales from Tennyson, London, Paris, New York, N.Y.: Raphael Tuck & Sons, Ltd., →OCLC, page 57:

     A man of Devon he was, broad-shouldered and fair, with long arms and strong hands, and he could throw a spear as well as he could sit a horse, and pull an oar as well as he could throw a spear; and dearly he loved hawk and horse and hound, but dearlier than all things he loved his wife Enid—Enid of the Faded Dress.

   • 1965, Ogden Nash, The Animal Garden‎^[1], New York, N.Y.: M. Evans & Company, Inc., →LCCN:

     Roy loved his mother and his father dearly, / Joy loved her mother and her father dearly, / Both loved their parents dearlier than anything— / Except, perhaps, a pet.