dear John

dear John

A letter or other notification calling off a romantic relationship. The term was born during World War II, when a serviceman stationed overseas received a letter from his girlfriend or wife ending their relationship. After the war it was extended to both genders and used quite loosely, sometimes even for other kinds of rejection.
See also: dear, john
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • a Dear John letter
  • war bride
  • ship name
  • moonlight and roses
  • love's young dream
  • moonlight
  • be (not) all moonlight and roses
  • Are you single?
  • FBO
  • sugar daddy
References in periodicals archive
Dear John, we've been together for a while now, And you'd think we'd know what to expect from each other by now, But still every day's an adventure, a happening, a surprise!
The best of your emails Tears for Oaksey Floods of tears both of joy and sorrow for Carruthers and dear John Oaksey after the Hennessy and more today for Alastair Down's beautifully written article.
An accomplished actress, Seyfried is best known for her starring roles in the box office hits ''Letters to Juliet," "Dear John" and "Mamma Mia!" On the TV front, Seyfried received critical praise for her starring role in HBO's "Big Love."
On "Dear John," Swift chastises singer-songwriting and serial womanizer John Mayer, who might have (or at least tried) to add her to his long list of A-list sexual conquests.
Women accounted for nearly 70 percent of the audience for "Valentine s Day" and more than 80 percent of the audience for romantic drama "Dear John," which topped the box office charts last week, said Paul Dergarabedian, president of the box office division at Hollywood.com.
Novelist, Nicholas Sparks' formula of life-altering love--invariably faced with some grand, operatic impediment--receives the youth-edition treatment in "Dear John," an almost painfully earnest romance that throws the Sept.
Dear Chester, Dear John: Letters between Chester Himes and John A.
Guardino's first book, "Dear John, With Love," recently has been published by the Josephine County Historical Society.
Dear Chester, Dear John; letters between Chester Himes and John A.
Parts of "Dear John" will have you laughing and parts will have your eyes watering.
McAchearn is a caricature, not a character and although I was a little surprised when he suddenly shoots off a couple of "Dear John" letters to God and conveniently leaves them lying around (I'm not sure if he knew God's address anyway since he only attended church in order to stare at his wife in the choir loft), this divine correspondence does nothing towards redeeming him from his hopeless two-dimensionality.
Now featured on the band's debut album, Dear John (Absolutely Kosher Records), their ubercatchy pop-punk is full of bouncy vocal harmonies and walks the fine lyrical line between heart-on-sleeve and foot-in-mouth, and it's sung through knowing grins.
The Philadelphia homegirl who grabbed the spotlight as the lead singer for the Roots collectively digs deep to deliver passionate performances as she does on "Do Your Worst." She's sassy and bouncy on "Dear John Part 1" and on the infectious single "Free." She turns intoxicatingly persuasive on "Let Me Be the One" and offers gutsy advice on "Woman to Woman." With a beautiful voice and gutsy lyrics, Jaguar will keep us dancing through the summer and on into fall.
(1.) "Dear John Paul: Don't Even Think about It," Saturday, August 9, 2003
Meanwhile, his girl (Anne Hethaway of The Princess Diaries) is sending him "Dear John" letters.