What it means
Used to mean pricey rather than affectionate. You drop it when something feels like a bit of a rip-off, usually with a wince and a look at your mate like, are they having a laugh. Works for anything from pints to rent, and it can be mild or proper annoyed depending on the tone. Classic British understatement.
Usage examples
"Six fifty for a tiny bacon roll at the station and they still want 50p for sauce. Bit dear, mate, I’ll pass."
"Four quid for a coffee? That is a bit dear, I will just have a glass of tap water and sulk quietly."
Where it comes from
Long before it meant beloved, dear meant costly, and in Britain that older sense never left. Something dear is pricey, steep, more than you fancied paying. That is a bit dear for a sandwich, you mutter at the station kiosk. Said with a wince and a tut, the eternal British reaction to a price tag.
Other ways to say it
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