I. ˈpreshəs adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Old French precios, precieus, from Latin pretiosus, from pretium price, value + -osus -ous — more at price
1. : of great value or high price: as
a. : of such extreme value that a suitable price is hard to estimate : priceless , invaluable
b. of a gemstone : of highest value commercially because of its beauty, rarity, or hardness
2. : of great nonmaterial value : very highly esteemed or cherished : dear
we went up the wrong valley and lost several precious days — Heinrich Harrer
a very useful report, with the precious qualities of objectivity, balance and good humor — advt
3.
a. : particular , fastidious
b. : overnice , overrefined
divorced from the social instinct, thought … tends to become finicky and precious — Bertrand Russell
c. : affected , posing , hypocritical
have made culture appear to be a power in whose service people could grow dry, intolerant, and precious — Katharine F. Gerould
4.
a. : fine , great — used as an intensive
opened the territory to some precious scoundrels — American Guide Series: Oregon
b. : worthless — used ironically
nobody would care if he went to his precious Rome and stayed there — L.C.Douglas
Synonyms: see costly
II. adverb
: extremely , very
no equipment and precious few drugs — Nevil Shute
she actually has precious little to say about what roles she is going to play — Robert Trumbull