DARLING

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does Darling mean? 

• DARLING (noun)
  The noun DARLING has 2 senses:

1. a special loved one

2. an Australian river; tributary of the Murray River

  Familiarity information: DARLING used as a noun is rare.

• DARLING (adjective)
  The adjective DARLING has 1 sense:

1. dearly loved

  Familiarity information: DARLING used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DARLING (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A special loved one

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

darling; dearie; deary; ducky; favorite; favourite; pet

Hypernyms ("darling" is a kind of...):

lover (a person who loves someone or is loved by someone)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "darling"):

chosen (one who is the object of choice; who is given preference)

macushla ((an Irish term of address expressing affection) darling)

mollycoddle (a pampered darling; an effeminate man)

teacher's pet (the teacher's favorite student)

Derivation:

darling (dearly loved)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An Australian river; tributary of the Murray River

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)

Synonyms:

Darling; Darling River

Instance hypernyms:

river (a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek))

Holonyms ("Darling" is a part of...):

Australia (the smallest continent; between the South Pacific and the Indian Ocean)

• DARLING (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Dearly loved

Synonyms:

beloved; darling; dear

Similar:

loved (held dear)

Derivation:

darling (a special loved one)

 Context examples 

In the midst of my thought my eye fell on the red scar on my poor darling's white forehead.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Of my darling being almost smothered among the flowers, and coming out, laughing and crying both together, to my jealous arms.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

“An’ with a gyme leg at that! Come on back, you pore little mamma’s darling. I won’t ’it yer; no, I won’t.”

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

I now say, Thank God she did not live to witness the cruel, miserable death of her youngest darling!

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

In five minutes he died. My God! how he died! But my heart was flint, for he endured nothing which my innocent darling had not felt before him.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Whoa, my darlings, you’ll have your fill of it before you reach Westminster Bridge.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

My darling, this is only a dream.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

You will be the darling of the zodiac because most of the planets are in earth signs, and mainly Capricorn.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

"My darling child!" she cried, folding the little girl in her arms and covering her face with kisses.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

"Hasten to take off your wet things," said he; "and before you go, good- night—good-night, my darling!"

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)