| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. |
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| appreciate |
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| SYLLABICATION: | ap·pre·ci·ate |
| PRONUNCIATION: |   -pr  sh- t |
| VERB: | Inflected forms: ap·pre·ci·at·ed, ap·pre·ci·at·ing, ap·pre·ci·ates
| | TRANSITIVE VERB: | 1. To recognize the quality, significance, or magnitude of: appreciated their freedom. 2. To be fully aware of or sensitive to; realize: I appreciate your problems. 3. To be thankful or show gratitude for: I really appreciate your help. 4. To admire greatly; value. 5. To raise in value or price, especially over time. | | INTRANSITIVE VERB: | To increase in value or price, especially over time. | | ETYMOLOGY: | Late Latin appretire, appretit-, to appraise. See appraise. | | OTHER FORMS: | ap·preci·ator —NOUN
ap·precia·tory (-sh-tôr, -t r) —ADJECTIVE
| | SYNONYMS: | appreciate, value, prize1, esteem, treasure, cherish These verbs mean to have a highly favorable opinion of someone or something. Appreciate applies especially to high regard based on critical assessment, comparison, and judgment: As immigrants, they appreciated their newfound freedom. Value implies high regard for the importance or worth of the object: “In principle, the modern university values . . . the free exchange of ideas . . .” (Eloise Salholz). Prize often suggests pride of possession: “the nonchalance prized by teen-agers” (Elaine Louie). Esteem implies respect: “If he had never esteemed my opinion before, he would have thought highly of me then” (Jane Austen). Treasure and cherish stress solicitous care and affectionate regard: We treasure our freedom. “They seek out the Salish Indian woman . . . to learn the traditions she cherishes” (Tamara Jones).
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| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
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