precious

/ˈprɛʃəs/
adverb
  1. Used informally to mean 'very' or 'extremely,' often with a negative or ironic tone.
    • I have precious little time to finish this project.
    • He knows precious little about fixing cars.
    • There were precious few seats left when we arrived.
adjective
  1. Very valuable or important, often because of being rare or expensive.
    • The museum displayed a collection of precious artifacts.
    • She keeps her precious jewelry in a safe.
    • Water is a precious resource in the desert.
  2. Loved or valued very much; dear to someone.
    • He spent precious time with his children every evening.
    • That old photograph is precious to our family.
    • Her grandmother's ring is her most precious possession.
  3. Used to express annoyance or sarcasm about something considered overly refined or affected.
    • He had a precious way of speaking that annoyed everyone.
    • Stop being so precious about your coffee order.
    • She made a precious remark about the decor that made us roll our eyes.
What does "precious" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean