Adore

as in

"I adore you."

Variations: "I worship you ... I would do anything for you ...I think you are the most wonderful person on earth ... They threw away the mould when they made you."

At first glance, this is an obvious compliment, suggesting deep feelings for you. Surely when he tells you this he means only one thing. That he loves you That he has never been happier. That he wants to be with you forever.

If only men were so easy. Usually they are incapable of "adoring etc..." outside of their favourite hobbies.

Note two things. One, the exaggerated language. Those bits about the "best, most, above all, etc, etc". You know they are true, that they fit you, but is it the kind of language he would normally - sincerely - use, outside of sport and cars?

Secondly, the tendency towards clichés. All that stuff about "they threw away the mould ... a face you could launch a thousand ships with ... ". Such clichés may be his stock in trade, natural to him, but they aren’t right for deep feelings, are they?

More likely he is trying to coax you into a better mood, offering something you want to hear, even if he doesn’t quite mean it.

Also it makes him feel warm inside to say it, giving him the comforting impression that someday he might actually appreciate someone that much.

Of course, he may well be trying to get you to tell him you adore him, which he would like - then, his own ego massaged, he could at his leisure decide exactly how much he does like you.

There is some comfort in the fact that men rarely say such extravagant things at all if they don’t actually like you at least a little - although not that much. Whatever, it is very unlikely to lead to a marriage proposal.

But, hey, it’s a cruel world and sometimes a girl has to be happy with what she can get. These may be only words but they do have a nice ring to them.