I described someone today -- searching for the right word -- as "precious," and the woman I was talking to, the daughter of the person being described, said, that was "the right word" to describe her with. Which made me feel good. I had those few seconds and could have blown it royally.
What "precious" means in this case is almost an intuitive leap. Someone off the beaten path yet with enough remaining style and eclat (that's a word, I think) and approachability to be "dear," yet maybe not so much as to be universally acclaimed as such.
I myself don't volunteer too much, but I try to give bursts of that sort of thing. Just don't hang around more than 10 seconds or it will either evaporate or wear thin. I detect it in others, but seldom enough that it's worth a comment.
