əˈprēshēˌāt sometimes -rishē- rarely -rēsē-, usu -ād.+V verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Medieval Latin & Late Latin; Medieval Latin appretiatus (past participle of appretiare to value, esteem), from Late Latin, past participle of appretiare to appraise, put a price on, from Latin ad- + pretium price, value — more at price
transitive verb
1.
a.
(1) : to evaluate highly or approve warmly often with expressions or tokens of liking
to be loved, to be appreciated, to be admired and highly valued — Theodor Reik
(2) : to judge or evaluate the worth, merit, quality, or significance of : comprehend with knowledge, judgment, and discrimination
incapable of appreciating the difference between right and wrong — B.N.Cardozo
appreciated that a new era was beginning — David Fairchild
my power of appreciating your many charms and my desire that you should become my wife — Samuel Butler †1902
b. : to judge with heightened perception or understanding:
(1) : to be critically and emotionally aware of delicate subtle aesthetic or artistic values
he could not appreciate artistic quality
(2) : to be fully sensible of often through or as if through personal experience
must be experienced to be appreciated — Rudyard Kipling
c. : to esteem highly and express thanks or gratitude for
I appreciate your kindness but I should be much happier alone — Louis Bromfield
2. : to raise the value of : increase the market price of
from 1820 onwards gold was mainly appreciated — J.A.Todd
— opposed to depreciate
intransitive verb
: to rise in value or quantity
apples appreciated 2 to 5 cents per box — Wall Street Journal
the calving and lambing season is good and numbers greatly appreciate — James Stevenson-Hamilton
Synonyms:
value , prize , treasure , cherish : appreciate connotes recognition of worth or merit through wise judgment, analytical perception, and keen insight
the author appreciates the historical development of the Roman law and the character of its various sources — H.O.Taylor
he liked to be near people and have his talent as a whittler appreciated — Sherwood Anderson
It is rarely used without these notions, although in less precise use it may carry added notions of warm hearty approval or full or delicate enjoyment
attach herself to someone who knew how to appreciate the fullness of her ardor — Morley Callaghan
youth appreciates that sort of recognition which is the subtlest form of flattery age can offer — Joseph Conrad
In this series value is less rich in suggestion than the others. It may suggest judgment blending the analytic and the subjective
she only valued rest to herself when it came in the midst of other people's labor — Thomas Hardy
suddenly Gard was smitten by the tragedy of plain women; to be valued, but not loved — Mary Austin
prize stresses high evaluation, often subjective; it may suggest a sense of pride in acquisition or possession and reluctance to lose or be deprived of the thing in question
his grandfather's two prized standing cups — T.B.Costain
we had prized our solitude when we had to fight for it — Virginia D. Dawson & Betty D. Wilson
what is freedom and why is it prized ? — John Dewey
treasure , used with things considered or felt to be of extreme value, stresses notions of storing or of jealous guarding against loss or theft, notions of cleaving to and preserving
that the volumes I write will be treasured up with the utmost care for ages — William Cowper
ecstatic moments for him, to be treasured and conned over — T.B.Costain
if … I have your friendship, I shall treasure it — Edna S.V.Millay
cherish , rich in affective suggestion, adds the idea of deep-seated, perhaps tacit affection or intimate fond reflection on
he cherished a painfully nostalgic memory of his childhood sweetheart — Saxe Commins
troubled by the conflict of many ideas in his fruitful mind, and ardently cherishing those he thought true and good — Carl Van Doren
cherish their allegiance to Christ in solitude and silence — Katharine F. Gerould
Synonym: see in addition understand .