esteem

1. noun

she was held in high esteem

Syn:

respect, admiration, acclaim, approbation, appreciation, favor, recognition, honor, reverence; estimation, regard, opinion

2. verb

1)

such ceramics are highly esteemed

Syn:

respect, admire, value, regard, acclaim, appreciate, like, prize, treasure, favor, revere

2) formal

I would esteem it a favor if you could speak to him

See deem

••

esteem, admire, appreciate, prize, regard, respect

If you're a classical music aficionado, you might appreciate a good symphony orchestra, admire someone who plays the oboe, and esteem the works of Beethoven above all other classical composers. All three of these verbs are concerned with recognizing the worth of something, but in order to appreciate it, you have to understand it well enough to judge it critically. If you admire something, you appreciate its superiority (to admire a pianist's performance), while esteem goes one step further, implying that your admiration is of the highest degree (a musician esteemed throughout the music world). You prize what you value highly or cherish, especially if it is a possession (she prized her Stradivarius violin), while regard is a more neutral term meaning to look at or to have a certain mental view of something, either favorable or unfavorable (to regard him as a great musician; to regard her as a ruthless competitor). To respect is to have a deferential regard for someone or something because of its worth or value (to respect the conductor's interpretation of the music).