Pre"cious (?), a. Particular;
fastidious; overnice; overrefined. Cf. Précieuse,
Preciosity.
Lest that precious folk be with me
wroth.
Chaucer.
Elaborate embroidery of precious
language.
Saintsbury.
Pre"cious (?), a. [OF. precious,
precius, precios, F. précieux, L.
pretiosus, fr. pretium price, worth, value. See
Price.] 1. Of great price; costly; as, a
precious stone. "The precious bane."
Milton.
2. Of great value or worth; very valuable;
highly esteemed; dear; beloved; as, precious
recollections.
She is more precious than rules.
Prov. iii. 15.
Many things which are most precious are
neglected only because the value of them lieth hid.
Hooker.
Also used ironically; as, a precious rascal.
3. Particular; fastidious; overnice.
[Obs.]
Lest that precious folk be with me
wroth.
Chaucer.
Precious metals, the uncommon and highly
valuable metals, esp. gold and silver. -- Precious
stones, gems; jewels.
Pre"cious (?), a. Particular;
fastidious; overnice; overrefined. Cf. Précieuse,
Preciosity.
Lest that precious folk be with me
wroth.
Chaucer.
Elaborate embroidery of precious
language.
Saintsbury.
