"Dear" man (3)
I believe the answer is:
sir
'dear man' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for sir that I've seen before include "Title given to baronet" , "Formal term of address" , "Title of Kt or Bart" , "Polite term of address for a man" , "... ___ John Major" .)