adj. & adv.
--adj.
1. of great value or worth.
2 beloved; much prized (precious memories).
3 affectedly refined, esp. in language or manner.
4 colloq. often iron. a considerable (a precious lot you know about it). b expressing contempt or disdain (you can keep your precious flowers).
--adv. colloq. extremely, very (tried precious hard; had precious little left).
Phrases and idioms:
precious metals gold, silver, and platinum. precious stone a piece of mineral having great value esp. as used in jewellery.
Derivatives:
preciously adv. preciousness n.
Etymology: ME f. OF precios f. L pretiosus f. pretium price