Precious vs. Twee — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Precious and Twee
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Definitions
Precious
Of high cost or worth; valuable
Precious jewels.
Twee
Overly precious or nice.
Precious
Highly esteemed; cherished
Precious moments with the new baby.
Twee
Overly quaint, dainty, cute or nice.
Precious
Dear; beloved
A friend who is precious to me.
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Twee
Affectedly dainty or refined
Precious
Affectedly dainty or overrefined
Precious mannerisms.
Precious
(Informal) Thoroughgoing; unmitigated
A precious mess.
Precious
One who is dear or beloved; a darling.
Precious
Used as an intensive
"He had precious little right to complain" (James Agee).
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Precious
Of high value or worth.
The crown had many precious gemstones.
This building work needs site access, and tell the city council that I don't care about a few lorry tyre ruts across their precious grass verge.
Precious
Regarded with love or tenderness.
My precious daughter is to marry.
Precious
(pejorative) Treated with too much reverence.
He spent hours painting the eyes of the portrait, which his fellow artists regarded as a bit precious.
Precious
; damned.
Precious
(pejorative) Contrived to be cute or charming.
Precious
(colloquial) Thorough; utter.
A precious rascal
Precious
Someone (or something) who is loved; a darling.
Precious
Very; an intensifier.
There is precious little we can do.
Precious few pictures of him exist
Precious
Of great price; costly; as, a precious stone.
Precious
Of great value or worth; very valuable; highly esteemed; dear; beloved; as, precious recollections.
She is more precious than rules.
Many things which are most precious are neglected only because the value of them lieth hid.
Precious
Particular; fastidious; overnice; overrefined. Cf. Précieuse, Preciosity.
Lest that precious folk be with me wroth.
Elaborate embroidery of precious language.
Precious
Characterized by feeling or showing fond affection for;
A cherished friend
Children are precious
A treasured heirloom
So good to feel wanted
Precious
Of high worth or cost;
Diamonds, sapphires, rubies, and emeralds are precious stones
Precious
Obviously contrived to charm;
An insufferably precious performance
A child with intolerably cute mannerisms
Precious
Extremely;
There is precious little time left
