starev.

Brit.

/stɛː/, U.S.

/stɛ(ə)r/

Forms: Old English starian, Middle English star, Middle English starre, Middle English steare, Middle English stere, Middle English– stare, 1500s staar, 1500s stayre, 1500s–1600s starde (past tense and past participle), 1600s–1800s star'd (past tense and past participle); also Scottish pre-1700 stair, pre-1700 stayr.

Origin: A word inherited from Germanic.

Etymology: Cognate with West Frisian stoarje to gaze fixedly, Middle Dutch, Dutch staren to gaze fixedly, Middle Low German staren to gaze fixedly, (of the eyes) to become dim, Old High German starēn , starōn to look, to gaze fixedly (Middle High German staren to gaze fixedly), Old Icelandic stara , Norwegian (Nynorsk) stara , both in sense ‘to gaze fixedly’ < a Germanic base with a basic sense ‘to be rigid’ shown also by e.g. stark adj. and start v. (see discussion at star-blind adj.¹).Compare ( < the same base with different stem-class) Dutch starren to gaze fixedly (17th cent.), Old Saxon starron to gaze fixedly (Middle Low German starren to be rigid, (also occasionally) to gaze fixedly), Middle High German starren to be rigid (German starren to be rigid (now rare), to gaze fixedly); compare also Old High German storrēn to protrude, project. In Old English a (rare) prefixed form gestarian to gaze fixedly (compare y- prefix) is also attested.

a. intransitive. To gaze fixedly and with the eyes wide open. Of the eyes: to gaze in this way. In modern use chiefly with at, but also with into, in (a person's face), and occasionally other prepositions; formerly (now somewhat archaic) on, upon. Also with adverb or adverbial phrase denoting direction (also about, around).In early use typically with implication that the object stared at is one on which the gaze has been deliberately fixed, as for scrutiny or careful examination. In later use often with implication of casual, unthinking, purposeless, or undirected gazing. The action may also be an expression of other emotions or mental states: see sense 1c.

ΘΚΠ

the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > see [verb (intransitive)] > stare or gaze

stareOE

gawc1175

darea1225

porec1300

muse1340

glowc1374

gogglec1380

gazec1386

glore?a1400

glopc1400

govec1480

glower?a1513

gowk1513

daze1523

amuse1532

glew1587

to feed one's eyes1590

to seek, buy, or sow gape-seed1598

to shoot one's eyes1602

glazea1616

stargaze1639

gaum1691

to stare like a stuck pig1702

ygaze1737

gawk1785

to feed one's sight1813

gloze1853

glow1856

OE Ælfric Catholic Homilies: 1st Ser. (Royal) (1997) xxi. 345 Ða ða hi up to heofenum starigende stodon, þa gesawon hi þær twegen englas.

OE Ælfric Lives of Saints (Julius) (1881) I. 334 Se earn flyhð ealra fugela ufemest, and mæg swyðost starian on þære sunnan leoman.

c1300 St. Michael (Laud) l. 798 in C. Horstmann Early S.-Eng. Legendary (1887) 322 Þeos soulene..bi-leueth þat bodi in foule heowe, þe eiȝene stareInde, And þe mouth of foul semblaunt.

c1350 Nominale (Cambr. Ee.4.20) in Trans. Philol. Soc. (1906) 8* Homme doile guenyle, M[an]. with ee starith.

c1400 (?c1380) Pearl l. 149 Abowte me con I stote and stare; To fynde a forþe.

a1450 (a1387) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Rawl.) (1960) A. xii. l. 61 (MED) I stode stille in a stodie and stared abowte.

1523 J. Skelton Goodly Garlande of Laurell sig. A.vi^v Iche man stode gasyng & staryng vpon other.

1557 Earl of Surrey et al. Songes & Sonettes (new ed.) f. 95 For had he come in golden garmentes bright, Or so as men mought haue starde on the light.

1570 P. Levens Manipulus Vocabulorum sig. Qiv^v/1 To Stayre, aspicere, contemplare.

a1586 Sir P. Sidney Arcadia (1590) i. xiii. sig. I2^v Standing vpon his tip-toes, and staring as though he would haue a mote pulled out of his eie.

1589 G. Puttenham Arte Eng. Poesie iii. xxiv. 246 King Henry th'eight..could not abide to haue any man stare in his face.

1638 F. Junius Painting of Ancients 43 A man may find them always upon the monster-market, where they stand and stare upon such maimed creatures.

1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Pastorals vi, in tr. Virgil Wks. 27 He stares around, with stupid Eyes.

1703 C. Cibber She wou'd & she wou'd Not v. 68 How shall I be star'd at when I give an Account of this to my Father or your Friends in Sevil?

1713 Englishman (1714) 50 The Porter, after being chafed and clamoured into Life, stared about, took by Degrees Courage from seeing so many People round him, [etc.].

1781 C. Johnstone Hist. John Juniper II. 228 I could not help staring at her, in such a way, as struck her notice.

1809 S. Mackay tr. J.-J. Regnault-Warin Magdalen Church-yard II. ix. 65 Billaud de Varennes..appeared to be sleeping; Robespierre, livid and trembling, stared vacantly; d'Orleans..looked attentively on the accused, his defender, and [etc.].

1817 J. Keats Sonnets xi Like stout Cortez when with eagle eyes He star'd at the Pacific.

1818 W. Scott Heart of Mid-Lothian viii, in Tales of my Landlord 2nd Ser. I. 234 There was..scarce a maiden on whom he did not stare.

1821 M. R. Sterndale Life of Boy I. iii. 57 They left her loitering near the door, and staring idly after them.

1827 tr. A. L. Grimm Fairy Tales 131 He stared vacantly into the black vault of the night-heaven, and thought to himself [etc.].

1846 C. Dickens Dombey & Son (1848) iv. 25 By having stared for three or four days successively, through every optical instrument in his shop.

1865 D. Livingstone & C. Livingstone Narr. Exped. Zambesi xvi. 326 They [sc. hippopotami] stare with peculiar stolid looks.

1878 M. E. Braddon Eleanor's Victory i A few hurried off to the Market-place, to stare at the Cathedral Church of Saint Jacques.

1907 J. A. Hodges Elem. Photogr. (ed. 6) 119 The sitter should never be allowed to stare into the lens.

1912 C. McEvoy Brass Faces (1913) iv. 47 He stared dully at the huge headlines that were spread across the width of three columns.

1972 Last Whole Earth Catal. (Portola Inst.) 67/3 She..sat on the curb in the lotus posture and stared off into the east.

1985 H. Graham Golden Surrender xx. 291 You keep that grief alive and well by spending your days staring upon your pale and shriveled bartered bride.

2002 J. Ruganda Igereka 45 Don't frown at me... It's rude to stare, didn't anyone ever teach you that?

2013 Straits Times (Singapore) 23 Aug. (Urban section) 20/2 We stare at our computer screens for at least nine hours a day.

†b. intransitive. Without specific implication as to manner of gaze: to look. Obsolete.In some Middle English poetry apparently for reasons of rhyme or alliteration. Cf. stare n.² 1.

ΘΚΠ

the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > see [verb (intransitive)] > look or behold

belookeOE

lookeOE

beseec1000

stareOE

showOE

beholdc1175

seec1225

heedc1275

witec1320

advisec1325

to see to ——a1375

rewarda1382

to cast an eye, glance, lookc1385

blush?a1400

glift?a1400

visea1400

considerc1400

vizy1513

regard1523

spectate1709

to have a see1839

look-see1862

vision1898

screw1905

shufti1943

to take (or have) a shufti1943

OE Christ & Satan 139 Ne mot ic hihtlicran hames brucan..ne on þa beorhtan gescæft ne mot ic æfre ma eagum starian.

OE Durham Proverbs (1956) 12 Cecus duobus oculis qui pectore non cernit. Blind byþ bam eagum se þe breostum ne starat.

OE Wulfstan Homily (Hatton 113) in A. S. Napier Wulfstan (1883) 4 La, hwæt byð betweonan mannes and nytenes andgyte, gyf he nat ne witan nele, butan þæt he on starað?

1372 in C. Brown Relig. Lyrics 14th Cent. (1924) 76 (MED) Þei stoden & stareden after þe sterre.

a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) vi. l. 178 Whanne I mai upon hire stare [rhyme fare],..Myn herte is full of such gladnesse.

c1450 (a1425) Metrical Paraphr. Old Test. (Selden) l. 11239 (MED) Ely stud styll on þem to stare.

c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 86 Wo so staris on þis story or stodis þerin Take hede on þe harmys & the hard lurs.

c. With reference to various mental states associated with the manner of looking or gazing described at sense 1a.

(a) intransitive. To open the eyes wide in madness or fury; to glare. Often in alliterative or rhyming phrases, e.g. scowl and stare, stamp and stare (see stamp v. 2c), swear and stare, denoting behaviour characteristic of uncontrolled rage. Now somewhat rare.

ΘΚΠ

the world > health and disease > mental health > mental illness > be or become mad [verb (intransitive)]

dwelec900

wedec900

awedeeOE

starea1275

braidc1275

ravea1325

to be out of mindc1325

woodc1374

to lose one's mindc1380

madc1384

forgetc1385

to go out of one's minda1398

to wede (out) of, but wita1400

foolc1400

to go (also fall, run) mada1450

forcene1490

ragec1515

waltc1540

maddle?c1550

to go (also run, set) a-madding (or on madding)1565

pass of wita1616

to have a gad-bee in one's brain1682

madden1704

to go (also be) off at the nail1721

distract1768

craze1818

to get a rat1890

to need (to have) one's head examined (also checked, read)1896

(to have) bats in the belfryc1901

to have straws in one's hair1923

to take the bats1927

to go haywire1929

to go mental1930

to go troppo1941

to come apart1954

the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > see [verb (intransitive)] > look fiercely

starea1275

glare1609

the mind > emotion > anger > manifestation of anger > show anger [verb (intransitive)] > look angry

starea1275

grima1400

to look black1608

to speak or look daggers1834

a1275 in C. Brown Eng. Lyrics 13th Cent. (1932) 49 He gonet wid is mouþe & staret [c1275 Calig. stareþ] wid is eyen, Of is neose-þurlis comet starke leyen.

c1275 (?c1250) Owl & Nightingale (Calig.) (1935) 77 Þu starest so þu wille abiten.

c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) 508 He him bi stod, Starinde als he were wod.

c1390 in C. Horstmann Minor Poems Vernon MS (1892) i. 143 Þe Ieuh bi-gon to stare and swere And seide þer com non such child þere.

a1425 (a1400) Prick of Conscience (Galba & Harl.) (1863) 2225 Als wode lyons þai sal þan fare, And raumpe on hym, and skoul, and stare.

c1475 (c1399) Mum & Sothsegger (Cambr. Ll.4.14) (1936) iii. l. 189 This makyth men..to stroute and to stare and stryue aȝeyn vertu.

1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 733/2 I stare, as a mans eyes stare for anger.

1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VI f. cxxxj^v Lorde how the Flemines bragged..that Calice should be wonne..swearyng, and staryng, that thei would haue it, within thre daies at the moste.

?1577 J. Northbrooke Spiritus est Vicarius Christi: Treat. Dicing To Rdr. sig. A.iiij If he can sweare and stare, they say he hath a stout courage.

1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene i. iv. sig. D4^v His eies..Stared sterne on all, that him beheld.

1615 J. Taylor Revenge in Wks. (1630) ii. 145/2 Some laught, some swore, some star'd and stamp'd and curst.

1667 S. Sturmy Mariners Mag. (1669) Friendly Advt. sig. c3^v They..will swear and stare, crack and boast, That they have done all things according to Art.

1716 N. W. Hist. George a Green iv. 27 Mannering seeing this, began to stamp, stare and swear.

1795 A. Hughes Jemima I. x. 167 At last he ran staring and swearing out of the parlour, only bidding me not tell I had seen him.

1837 A. Tennent Force of Imag. 64 His eye-balls stared with vicious scowl.

1871 Lippincott's Mag. Jan. 22/1 Frenchmen could be so theatrical in their ways, jumping and staring and swearing over such a commonplace order.

1998 Times 11 Aug. 16/6 Donald, staring and swearing, bowled like a man dispossessed.

(b) intransitive. To open the eyes wide in amazement; (hence) to be amazed or astonished.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > expectation > feeling of wonder, astonishment > feel wonder, be amazed [verb (intransitive)] > gaze in wonder

gaurec1374

starea1375

gape1377

to stare like a stuck pig1702

gawp1728

the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > see [verb (intransitive)] > stare or gaze > specifically in surprise

starea1375

lookc1425

a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) l. 880 (MED) Witerly he couþe no word long þer-after spek, but stared on here stifly, a-stoneyd for ioye.

?a1425 Pistel of Swete Susan (Huntington) l. 285 Tho cryed þat ferly [read frely] fode: ‘Why spillist þou innocentis blode?’ And all þei starid [c1390 Vernon stoteyd, c1450 Calig. were a-stonyed, ?c1450 Pierpont Morgan stynted] and stode.

c1475 (c1399) Mum & Sothsegger (Cambr. Ll.4.14) (1936) ii. l. 8 (MED) Some stode astonyed and stared for drede.

1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene i. ix. sig. I2 His hollow eyne Lookt deadly dull, and stared as astound.

1624 T. Heywood Γυναικεῖον viii. 391 The people stare To see my garments torne, and brests unbare.

1663 J. Spencer Disc. Prodigies (1665) 241 God's Miraculous Works never come forth (like a Jugler's tricks) soly to make men stare and wonder.

1694 L. Echard tr. Plautus Amphitryon iv. iii, in tr. Plautus Comedies 48 What makes ye stare so, Bufflehead?

1716 Lady M. W. Montagu Let. 13 Aug. (1965) I. 252 I was yesterday at the French church and star'd very much at their manner of Service.

1782 W. Cowper John Gilpin 194 Said John, It is my wedding day And all the world would stare If wife should dine at Edmonton And I should dine at Ware!

1789 W. Pitt Let. 8 Nov. in G. Rose Diaries (1860) I. 98 You will stare a good deal at the circumstance which makes me write this letter.

1815 W. Scott Guy Mannering III. xix. 355 Mac-Morlan will stare when he sees the bill.

1821 Ld. Byron Don Juan: Canto III lxxxi. 43 Even good men like to make the public stare.

1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. vii. 194 Mordaunt wanted merely to enjoy the excitement of conflict, and to make men stare.

1850 A. Jameson Legends Monastic Orders 448 To produce such illusions as make the vulgar stare.

1855 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. III. xv. 605 The other councillors stared, but remained silent.

1902 V. Jacob Sheep-stealers viii Bumpett stared blankly. For once in his life he was quite taken aback.

1975 L. Goreau Just Mahalia, Baby lxxvii. 523 ‘Louise, I came to tell you you're not going to Europe—it's Gwen, Charles, and me who're going.’ Louise just stared, unbelieving.

2005 S. A. Bernskoetter Surviving Twilight vi. 175 What really made me stare with an open mouth..was the following quote.

d. intransitive. figurative. Esp. in expressions likening windows or light sources to eyes.In some contexts hard to distinguish from sense 2.

ΚΠ

1609 W. M. Man in Moone sig. B The starres stared vppon me, beasts looked wistly after me, battes flew about mine eares, and the owle whooted ouer mine head.

1657 N. Billingsley Brachy-martyrologia iii. 12 So said, thus rack'd, into a fire he's thrown, And now his wasting bowels stared on The Tyrants face.

1787 ‘P. Pindar’ Lousiad: Canto II 26 in Lousiad: Canto I (ed. 4) In that snug room..Whose window stares upon the saunt'ring park.

1825 C. Lamb in London Mag. Apr. 514 And then came staring upon her the figures of her little stockingless and shoeless sisters.

1895 P. Hemingway Out of Egypt ii. 175 One evening, as I stood watching a vessel in the harbour, that stared townwards with a hundred round unblinking eyes.

1909 R. Bridges Paraphr. Virgil's Æneid vi, in Poems (1913) 457 Right i' the front stareth the columnar gate adamantine.

1964 P. Marshall tr. B. Andersen in Lit. Rev. 8 77 The lighthouse stares pale and bitter toward the ship's gloating jaws.

2010 Express (Nexis) 6 Nov. 20 Alongside a rough dirt track that marks the end of Greek control a row of unmanned sentry towers stare at similar structures just yards away on the Turkish side.

e. transitive. To convey or express (esp. an emotion) with a stare.

ΚΠ

1730 A. Brice Freedom 113 Desp'rate the Crew, Staring Amazement.

1776 B. Simonds Treat. Field Diversions 48 Staring Amazement, panting Toby stands.

1851 C. Mackay Mormons viii. 205 Some splendid Indians..had been..staring their inability to comprehend the wonderful performances.

1871 Atlantic Monthly Mar. 303/1 Wallace, who was not quick at repartee.., simply stared his indignation.

1910 ‘J. Brandane’ My Lady of Aros (1911) 229 He lay back on his bed of bracken..and stared contempt at the bully.

1990 I. Mitchell tr. V. Canetti Yellow St. ii. 8 He stared his contempt at the gorilla as if it were alive.

†a. intransitive. To shine, gleam. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > light > shine [verb (intransitive)]

shinec725

brighteOE

blika1000

lightOE

shimmera1100

starec1225

lightena1382

blikena1400

glowa1400

sheenc1420

flourish1587

to stick off1604

lamp1609

skyre1677

gloze1820

moon1885

c1225 (?c1200) St. Margaret (Bodl.) (1934) 20 (MED) His twa ehnen steareden steappre þen þe steoren & ten ȝimstanes.

c1400 (?c1380) Pearl l. 116 As stremande sterneȝ..Staren in welkyn in wynter nyȝt.

c1450 (?a1400) Wars Alexander (Ashm.) l. 3796 (MED) As ai stremand sternes stared all þaire wedis.

c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 113^v The sternes full stithly starond o lofte.

c1600 (?c1395) Pierce Ploughman's Crede (Trin. Cambr. R.3.15) (1873) l. 553 Þei ben y-sewed wiþ whiȝt silk.., Y-stongen wiþ stiches þat stareþ as siluer.

b. intransitive. More generally: to be visually conspicuous or prominent. Now rare.Esp. of the bones as seen through the skin, typically as a sign of emaciation or poor health.

ΘΚΠ

society > communication > manifestation > [verb (intransitive)] > strikingly

shinec1340

to stand fortha1425

to stick out1612

to stick off1613

to stand offa1616

stare1645

glare1712

to stand out1824

to burn out, forth1834

the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > visibility > be visible [verb (intransitive)] > be clearly visible > be conspicuous

to stand fortha1425

to catch the (also a person's) eye1585

salutea1586

stare1645

to make (familiarly to cut) a figure1699

to show up1860

to jump to the eye(s)1926

to stick (or stand) out like a sore thumb1936

1535 Bible (Coverdale) Psalms xxi. B I might haue tolde all my bones: as for them, they stode staringe and lokinge vpon me.]

1645 R. Harris True Relig. 28 Shall the bones of Christ stare and stand out? shall the naked flesh and skin of Chirst pine away for want of succour?

1666 J. Smith Γηροκομία Βασιλικὴ 187 The bones stare through the skin, the flesh that should cover them is wasted much away.

1794 Evangelical Mag. Feb. 54 He was sitting in St. Paul's church, almost spent with long fasting, his bones staring, his countenance pale.

1831 Asiatic Jrnl. & Monthly Reg. 6 ii. 111/1 The dark rock stares through the snow in the highest regions.

1863 C. C. Clarke Shakespeare-characters iii. 84 Their subtleties of character stare out like the bones of a starved beast.

1916 R. M. Hallet Trial by Fire i. 4 He was as lean all over as a spectre; the looming skull stared through the skin of his face like the shadow of death impending.

1931 M. Steen Unicorn ii. iii. 163 Every evening their [sc. goats'] piteous procession came herded down,..bones staring through their cruelly heavy hides.

3. To stare at.

a. transitive. With complement specifying the focus or range of the gaze. Cf. look v. 2a(b).Recorded earliest in to stare (a person) in the face at Phrases 1; also commonly in to stare up and down.

ΘΚΠ

the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > see [verb (transitive)] > stare or gaze at

bestarec1220

bigapea1250

to gape atc1290

fix14..

to stick one's eyes in (also into)c1485

attacha1500

porec1500

to take feeding (of)c1500

stare1510

(to have) in gaze1577

gaze1591

outstare1596

over-stare1600

devour1628

trysta1694

ogle1795

begaze1802

toise1888

fixate1889

rubberneck1897

eyeball1901

1510–13 Mery Geste of Frere & Boye sig. A.iij. Whan my fader gyueth me mete She wolde theron that I were cheke And stareth me in the face.

1823 J. Neal Seventy-six I. x. 191 She..stood a moment on tip toe, about a foot from my face—staring me in the eyes.

1834 G. P. R. James John Marston Hall II. iii. 83 The governor knit his brows, and stared me all over with a heavy frown.

1866 ‘B. O'Barry’ Queer Customers 20 ‘I doubt it, Con, darlint,’ says he, as he stared me up and down.

1949 Harper's Mag. May 91/1 He stared him up and down in an appraising manner.

1973 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 22 Dec. 33/2 The..goaltender..had been taught to outguess shooters by staring them in the eye.

a1987 D. Marechera in F. Veit-Wild Dambudzo Marechera (1992) iv. 102 Manager: We brought civilisation—Hudson: [Staring him from head to foot] You?

2002 Guardian 8 May (G2 section) 10/1 A police van passes me slowly by and eight feds stare me up and down.

b. transitive. With object complement: to cause (a person or thing) to pass into a certain place, state, or condition by staring. Formerly frequently in to stare (a person) out of countenance (see countenance n.¹ 6b). Cf. look v. 2c. See also to stare down at Phrasal verbs, to stare out at Phrasal verbs.

ΘΚΠ

the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > see [verb (transitive)] > stare or gaze at > bring about by staring

stare1663

pore1707

1663 W. Clark Marciano iii. vi. 42 Tush, as for death, I fear the varlet not, I've often stare'd him out of countenance.

1672 Duke of Buckingham Rehearsal iv. 38 Who e'er to gulp one drop of this dares think I'l stare away his very pow'r to drink.

1719 in T. D'Urfey Wit & Mirth III. 319 The..Stone..stares Deucalions..Boys, into..Pebbles.

1733 London Mag. Feb. 68/2 The Creature is so sheepish, I stare him out of Countenance in an Instant.

1748 S. Richardson Clarissa IV. xiv. 63 Taking my two hands, [he] stared me into a half-confusion.

1833 E. Bulwer-Lytton Godolphin I. xxiii. 276 She did not stare young men out of countenance.

1844 E. B. Barrett Poems II. 265 Thou art staring the stars pale!

1936 Pop. Mech. July 136 a/2 The old story of the strong-willed man staring the wild beast out of countenance.

1990 S. Schecter AIDS Notebks. 54 Even the leaves outside the window remain impassive and opaque, and I cannot stare them into poetry.

2011 D. Spiotta Stone Arabia 63 Sitting there, with his hand on mine, staring me into desiring him.

4. intransitive. Of hair, a horse's coat, feathers, or fibres of any kind: to stand on end; to stick up. In later use chiefly as a technical term in describing the condition of an animal. Formerly also: †to spread out (obsolete).Also in extended use (see quot. 1829).

ΘΚΠ

the world > life > the body > hair > horripilation > [verb (intransitive)]

bristle1480

to stick upa1500

to stand or start widdershins1513

upstart1513

starta1522

stare?1523

to start up1553

rousea1616

horripilate1623

stiver1790

uprise1827

upstare1886

the world > animals > animal body > general parts > covering or skin > [verb (intransitive)] > stand on end (of hair)

stare?1523

?1523 J. Fitzherbert Bk. Husbandry f. xxv^v Loke well that the heer stare nat.

a1560 T. Phaer tr. Virgil Nyne Fyrst Bks. Eneidos (1562) ix. sig. Ddiij Thou sawest..how his helmet crest did streaming stare?

1565 T. Cooper Thesaurus at Coma Horror comas erexit, feare made his heare to stare.

1590 T. Cokayne Treat. Hunting sig. D j His coate also will stare and frise so vppon him, as you may easely knowe him thereby.

1603 G. Owen Descr. Penbrokshire (1892) 127 The here of the seale stareth at the South windes.

1614 Life & Death E. Geninges vi. 55 His face glowed, and as he thought his hayre stared.

1621 R. Burton Anat. Melancholy i. ii. iv. iii. 195 There was such an hideous noyse..that their haire stared for feare.

1677 T. D'Urfey Madam Fickle iii. 36 See how his Perriwig stares with his wild passion.

a1722 E. Lisle Observ. Husbandry (1757) 319 Their skins would turn scurfy and starky, and their wool stare and grow thin.

1748 S. Richardson Clarissa VI. xli. 157 Four old turkey-worked chairs, bursten-bottomed, the stuffing staring out.

1788 New London Mag. 624 When the whole is dry, dress the feathers round the outline that may chance to stare a little.

1806 J. Beresford Miseries Human Life I. x. 254 Its [sc. a toothbrush's] few remaining hairs staring off horizontally on all sides.

1808 W. Scott Marmion ii. xxxii. 110 The locks, that wont her brow to shade, Stared up erectly from her head.

1829 S. Shaw Hist. Staffs. Potteries i. 4 A few strata stare, i.e. are almost perpendicular to the surface.

1888 Lancet 14 Jan. 96/1 The affected cows were restless and irritable; their coats ‘stared’.

1891 Labour Commission Gloss. at Nap [Filaments of cotton yarn] are very sensitive to electrical conditions, hence the importance of means to make them lie as smooth as possible, otherwise they polarise in all directions, that is ‘stare’.

1904 Jrnl. Board Agric. Mar. 482 The feathers ‘stare’, especially across the back, and..the bird has no strength in its legs at all.

1960 M. Williams Adventures Unbridled ii. 43 Her [sc. a horse's] nose began to stream in earnest, her coat to stare.

2009 Western Morning News (Plymouth) (Nexis) 19 Aug. 10 The fashion of applying oil on [ponies'] coats in my opinion has gone too far... In hot weather it makes the coat stare.

Phrases

P1. to stare (a person) in the face: (a) to stare at a person's face; (b) (of a thing) to be glaringly obvious to, to force itself on the notice of; used esp. with reference to something which ought to be obvious but which has nevertheless been overlooked. [Compare earlier to look (a person) in the face at face n. Phrases 1c.]

ΘΚΠ

society > communication > manifestation > [verb (intransitive)]

seem1340

to prove wellc1387

showa1393

appearc1400

to stare (a person) in the face1510

sparkle1597

shinea1616

transpear1645

relate1663

it is visible1693

to speak out1846

notice1961

the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > visibility > be visible [verb (intransitive)] > be clearly visible

to stare (a person) in the face1510

the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > see [verb (transitive)] > stare or gaze at > in the face

to look (a person, etc.) in the facec1400

to stare (a person) in the face1510

to fix (a person) with one's eyes1792

envisage1820

fasten1870

impale1877

1510–13 Mery Geste of Frere & Boye sig. A.iij. Whan my fader gyueth me mete She wolde theron that I were cheke And stareth me in the face.

1591 R. Wilmot Tancred & Gismund v. i. sig. F4^v Which way so ere I turn mine eyes, me thinks His butchered corps stands staring in my face.

1615 A. Stafford Heavenly Dogge 64 I will stare my headsman in the face with as much confidence, as if he came to barbe mee.

1690 J. Locke Ess. Humane Understanding i. iii. 20 Whether it be possible, for People..to offend against a Law..that stares them in the Face, whilst they are breaking it?

1698 J. Fryer New Acct. E.-India & Persia 9 They staring one in the Face, and in the mean time..steal a Handkerchief.

1727 Visct. Bolingbroke Occas. Writer No. 2. 44 This terrible Object stares our speculative Enquirer in the Face, and disturbs his Head.

1769 ‘Junius’ Stat Nominis Umbra (1772) I. xix. 130 The contradiction was unexpectedly urged, and stared him in the face.

1790 W. Buchan Domest. Med. (ed. 11) xlv. 469 Few people will submit to the extirpation till death stares them in the face.

1817 Ld. Ellenborough in Maule & Selwyn's Rep. VI. 316 When he knew himself insolvent, and when ruin and bankruptcy were staring him in the face.

1855 W. Thomson Outl. Laws of Thought §46 A man stares his friend in the face without recognising him.

1912 Throne 7 Aug. 205/1 To minimise the severity of the defeat which Ministers see staring them in the face.

1966 J. B. Priestley Salt is Leaving iii. 43 She found the Mahler album... ‘It must have been staring you in the face,’ she added.

1979 A. Boyle Climate of Treason viii. 236 The over-caution of Cowgill in fumbling for conclusions that stared him in the face demanded some patience.

2002 S. McKenna Behind Closed Doors xviii. 258 She stared him in the face, eyes wide and glittering with unshed tears.

2013 B. Crystal Springboard Shakespeare: Hamlet 141 Only in her death does Horatio realise the truth that's been staring him in the face.

P2. colloquial. as —— as he (also she, etc.) can stare: very ——, utterly ——. Earliest and chiefly in as like (a person) as he (also she, etc.) can stare: having a very close resemblance to (a person). Now archaic.

ΚΠ

1690 Bloody Duke v. i. 50 They are terrible Fellows I'll warrant ye; the Pagan Plot was one of theirs, it was as like 'em as ever they could stare.

1712 J. Addison Spectator No. 299. ¶2 I have a little Chub-faced Boy as like me as he can stare.

1767 A. Murphy School for Guardians iv. 59 I remember all that, and it's as like miss Mary Ann as it can stare.

1801 Ann. Reg. 1799 (Otridge ed.) Poetry 470 ‘What doth Cobb own that any rain can hurt?’ Roar'd furious Jay, as broad as he could stare.

1811 J. Austen Sense & Sensibility I. xiii. 155 Oh! yes; and as like him as she can stare .

1847 E. Leslie Leonilla Lynmore 59 ‘Well—here's your sweet-heart’—pursued the fortune-teller—‘as dark-complected as he can stare.’

1886 London Soc. Feb. 158 He was just as unlike any one of Miss Alice's heroes as he could stare.

1892 Good Words Jan. 348/2 He's a right Malreward, let the law say what it will, and let him look as like a gipsy as he can stare!

1996 M. Kirkland Ruby Necklace iii. 43 ‘Handsome as he can stare,’ Agnes had called him.

2005 J. Justiss Courtesan viii. 99 The woman Mae might be as vulgar as she could stare, but in a few short minutes she'd already offered more information about Belle than [etc.].

Phrasal verbs

to stare down

transitive. To stare at (someone) without being first to blink or lower one's gaze, usually as an expression of resistance or hostility; to outstare. Also figurative and in extended use.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > emotion > pride > impudence > treat impudently [verb (transitive)] > oppose or confront impudently

face1465

overfacec1475

outface?1499

to face down (also out)1530

out-countenancec1585

outstare1596

outlook1599

nose1632

to stare down1798

out-breast1839

1798 A. Browne Misc. Sketches I. 181 They are able with unblushing cheek to stare down the passenger who gazes at their beauty.

1854 ‘T. Gwynne’ Nanette & her Lovers 72 A..quizzing-glass, through which Mucius attempted to stare people down.

1870 Peterson's Mag. Sept. 188/2 Mrs. Mortimer Montgomery had merely placed her eyeglass in her aristocratic eye and stared her down.

1946 T. H. White Mistress Masham's Repose xiv. 115 Miss Brown searched out her pupil's eyes and fixed them with her own. She had a..trick of staring Maria down.

1979 Guardian 12 Jan. 8/5 Some measure of fiscal ‘mid-term adjustment’..is called for. So is a serious attempt to stare down the local government workers.

2004 J. Burchill Sugar Rush (2005) 19 He was staring me hard in the face. Staring me down, I suddenly thought. Waiting for me to cry.

to stare out

transitive. = to stare down at Phrasal verbs.

ΚΠ

1854 Family Herald 22 Sept. 324/1 As Eunice was driven along to Park Street, she bore unflinchingly the scrutinising gaze of Lady Payne... Not caring to stare her out, Eunice presently employed herself with looking out of the window.

1856 C. Dickens Little Dorrit (1857) i. xxiv. 215 ‘She looked at the Princess, and the Princess looked at her.’ ‘Like trying to stare one another out,’ said Maggy.

1912 C. P. Tibbits Cities seen East & West i. 89 You may try for ten minutes to stare her out, you won't succeed.

1965 ‘T. Hinde’ Games of Chance i. iv. 110 That made me shout at Kenny a lot, and mimic him, and stare him out.

2003 J. Burdett Bangkok 8 (2004) xviii. 99 He toys with the idea of staring me out..but decides on a posture of meekness and looks away.

Compounds

† stare-about n. Obsolete rare a person who stares about.

ΘΚΠ

the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > one who sees > [noun] > starer or gazer

gazer1548

starer1600

gogglea1625

stare-about1631

gapera1637

gloater1659

ogler1692

gilly-gaupus?1719

gape-seed1885

gongoozler1904

gawker1951

gawper1965

1631 B. Jonson Bartholmew Fayre iii. v. 43 in Wks. II They stick not the Stare-abouts purses to take.

1899 J. Davidson Last Ballad 124 Eddying groups of stare-abouts Quiz the sandstone Hercules.

1909 J. Davidson Fleet St. 10 Alsatians pass and Templars; stareabouts For the new motion of Nineveh.

stare-cat n. U.S. colloquial (now rare) a person who habitually stares at others.

ΚΠ

1854 G. Payson Totemwell xxi. 294 Those Redwoods are the most awful starecats, and they'll be sure to see me going into the doctor's.

1897 E. D. Deland Successful Venture v. 85 You're such a stare-cat.

1901 A. E. Blanchard Mistress May i. 13 Turn your green eyes some other way, Pinky, you stare at me so, you old stare cat you.

1952 G. Cotterell Westward the Sun xix. 214 She was a stare-cat if ever there was one.

stare-you-out n. the activity of attempting to stare someone out (see to stare out at Phrasal verbs), esp. as a children's game; also attributive, esp. with reference to a person with an unwavering or penetrating gaze.

ΘΚΠ

the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > [noun] > staring or gazing

poring1340

staring1440

gazingc1502

goggling1540

gazement1596

stare-you-out1932

society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > children's game > other children's games > [noun] > others

buckle-pit1532

marrowbone1533

put-pin?1577

primus secundus1584

fox in the hole1585

haltering of Hick's mare1585

muss1591

pushpin1598

Jack-in-the-box1600

a penny in the forehead1602

buckerels1649

bumdockdousse1653

peck-point1653

toro1660

wheelbarrow1740

thread-needle1751

thrush-a-thrush1766

runaway ring?1790

Gregory1801

pick-point1801

fighting cocks1807

runaway knock1813

tit-tat-toe1818

French and English1820

honeypots1821

roly-poly1821

tickle-tail1821

pottle1822

King of Cantland1825

tip-top-castle1834

tile1837

statue1839

chip stone1843

hen and chickens1843

king of the castle1843

King Caesar1849

rap-jacket1870

old witch1881

tick-tack-toe1884

twos and threes1896

last across (the road)1904

step1909

king of the hill1928

Pooh-sticks1928

trick or treat1928

stare-you-out1932

king of the mountain1933

dab cricket1938

Urkey1938

trick-or-treating1941

seven-up1950

squashed tomato1959

slot-racing1965

Pog1993

knights-

1932 P. MacDonald Escape xv. 224 It was as if they were kids who'd been playing a game of Stare You Out and found that neither could win.

1962 E. O'Brien Lonely Girl ix. 107 In the village..people stopped to look..with savage stare-you-out eyes.

1972 ‘J. Quartermain’ Rock of Diamond xxvi. 140 She held her expression... I grinned and played ‘Stare-you-out’. But I blinked first.

1977 D. Morris Manwatching 75 (caption) Such is the impact of the close-quarters gaze that the schoolboy game of stare-you-out is extremely difficult to maintain over a long period of time.

2012 F. McNeil Woman Unknown xxiv. 211 Mrs Shackleton had that stare-you-out look in her eye.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2016; most recently modified version published online June 2022).

单词	stare
释义	staren.¹ Brit. /stɛː/, U.S. /stɛ(ə)r/ Forms: early Old English staer, Old English star- (inflected form), Old English stearas (Northumbrian, plural), Old English–early Middle English stær, early Middle English ster, Middle English staar, Middle English–1500s staare, Middle English–1500s (1800s English regional (East Anglian and Irish English)) star, Middle English– stare, 1600s steare, 1700s stear, 1800s starre (English regional (Worcestershire)), 1800s steer (English regional (midlands)), 1800s steere (English regional (Herefordshire)), 1700s starr (Scottish). Origin: A word inherited from Germanic. Etymology: Cognate with Middle Low German regional (northern Lower Saxony) stār , Old High German staro (Middle High German star , German Star ), Old Icelandic stari , Swedish stare , Old Danish stær (as a nickname; Danish stær , †star ) < the same Indo-European base as (with a nasal suffix) classical Latin sturnus and Old Prussian starnite , both in sense ‘starling’, and probably also Old English stearn kind of seabird (see stern n.¹). Compare starling n.¹A possible further cognate is early modern Dutch sterre (16th cent., only recorded in Kiliaan, who marks it as obsolete; Dutch †staar (18th cent., rare) is probably < German); the usual Dutch word for ‘starling’ is spreeuw (see sprew n.²). Now archaic. 1. A starling; = starling n.¹ 1. ΘΚΠ the world > animals > birds > order Passeriformes (singing) > larger song birds > [noun] > family Sturnidae > genus Sturnus > sturnus vulgaris (starling) stareeOE starlingOE starle?1533 shepstare1563 ship-starnel1622 starnel1709 eOE Corpus Gloss. (1890) 110/2 Sturnus, staer. eOE Leechbk. (Royal) (1865) iii. xix. 320 Viþ blædderwærce..sele..etan gebrædne stær. OE (Northumbrian) Lindisf. Gospels: Matt. x. 29 Nonne duo passeres asse ueniunt : ah ne tuoege staras uel hronsparuas of anum cymas. c1175 Libellus de Nominibus Naturalium Rerum in T. Hunt Teaching & Learning Lat. in 13th-cent. Eng. (1991) I. 23 Lusterna, Stær. a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1872) IV. 307 (MED) Also a pye grette hym..and he wondrede and bouȝt hym also, and so he dede a stare [c1400 Tiber. staare; L. sturno]. a1450 (c1380) G. Chaucer Parl. Fowls (Tanner) (1871) l. 348 The staar [c1430 Cambr. Gg.4.27 starlyng] that þe counseil kan by-wrye. 1483 ( tr. G. Deguileville Pilgrimage of Soul (Caxton) (1859) v. v. 76 Thenne I bethought me vppon the byrdes as thrusshes, and thrustels, and stares. 1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 275/2 Staare a byrde, estourneav. ?1533 G. Du Wes Introductorie for to lerne Frenche sig. Civ The star, lesprohon. 1542 A. Borde Compend. Regyment Helth xv. sig. H.iii Rasis and Isaac prayseth yonge staares. a1656 R. Gordon Geneal. Hist. Earldom of Sutherland (1813) i. 3 Steares or stirlings..and all other kinds of wildfoule and birds. 1657 R. Ligon True Hist. Barbados 60 They are a kind of Stares, for they walk, and do not hop as other birds. 1673 J. Dryden Marriage a-la-Mode iii. i. 39 He taught a prating Stare to speak my name. a1721 M. Prior Turtle & Sparrow (1723) 13 An honest Rook Told it a Snipe, who told a Stear, Who told it those, who told it her. 1766 T. Pennant Brit. Zool. i. 93 The stare breeds in hollow trees, eaves of houses &c. 1845 New Statist. Acct. Scotl. XII. 189 [Ross & Cromarty] The stare is also a rare bird. 1868 W. Morris Earthly Paradise i. 167 And plovers cry about the meads, And the stares chatter. 1910 Spectator 26 Mar. 506/1 Whitethroat and willow-wren and whistling stare Singing together. 1967 G. MacBeth Colour of Blood 39 No scent was left or heat Where I had stepped through darkness to the dew With naked feet And touched their wings, breath of a kite or stare. 2. With distinguishing word or words: any of various other birds resembling or related to the starling (or formerly thought to be so). Now only in spotted-winged stare or spot-winged stare, the spot-winged starling of southern Asia, Saroglossa spiloptera. ΘΚΠ the world > animals > birds > order Passeriformes (singing) > larger song birds > [noun] > family Sturnidae > genus Sturnus stareOE starlingOE OE Antwerp-London Gloss. (2011) 72 Turdella, se mare stær. 1661 R. Lovell Πανζωορυκτολογια, sive Panzoologicomineralogia Isagoge sig. A5^v As the Thrush,..black-bird, saxatile,..double-coloured, roselike, brasilian and indian, stare. 1678 J. Ray tr. F. Willughby Ornithol. ii. xix. 196 Bontius his Indian Stare. [L. Sturnus Indicus Bontii.] 1781 J. Latham Gen. Synopsis Birds I. i. 10 Silk Stare. Size of a Starling... The plumage in general glossy and silky. 1787 J. Latham Gen. Synopsis Birds Suppl. I. 137 Silk Stare... Length eight inches. Bill purplish red, the end dusky. 1808 New & Compl. Amer. Encycl. IV. 159/2 The Religiosa, the lesser grakle, or Indian stare, is about the size of a blackbird, the bill an inch and a half long, and of an orange colour. 1829 E. Griffith et al. Cuvier's Animal Kingdom VII. 173 Cape Stare, Sturnus Capensis. 1920 Avicultural Mag. 11 187 Jerdon, who calls the bird the ‘Spotted-winged Stare’, places it between the Starlings and the Grackles, or Hill-Mynahs. 1979 E. W. Cronin Arun ii. 23 At dawn, a flowering silk cotton tree will be alive with flocks of racquet-tailed drongos, spot-winged stares, and mynas feeding on the new blossoms. 2002 B. Grewal et al. Photogr. Guide Birds India 481 Spot-winged Starling... Saroglossa spiloptera (Spotted-winged Stare, Spot-winged Stare). This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2016; most recently modified version published online March 2022). staren.² Brit. /stɛː/, U.S. /stɛ(ə)r/ Forms: see stare v. Origin: Formed within English, by conversion. Etymon: stare v. Etymology: < stare v. †1. Power of seeing. Obsolete. rare. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > [noun] i-sightc888 seneOE lightOE eyesightc1175 sightc1200 rewarda1382 seeingc1390 viewc1390 outwitc1400 starec1400 speculation1471 eyec1475 vision1493 ray1531 visive power1543 sightfulnessa1586 outsight1605 conspectuitya1616 visibility1616 optics1643 rock of eye1890 visuality1923 c1400 (?c1380) Cleanness (1920) l. 583 (MED) He þat stykked uche a stare in uche steppe yȝe. 2. A state of amazement, wonder, horror, etc., indicated by staring. Chiefly in in a stare (and variants). Now rare (chiefly archaic and English regional in later use).Cf. on the stare at Phrases 1. ΘΚΠ the mind > emotion > fear > physical symptoms of fear > [noun] > condition of staring through fear stare?a1500 the mind > mental capacity > expectation > feeling of wonder, astonishment > [noun] > state of wonder > indicated by staring stare?a1500 the mind > attention and judgement > esteem > admiration > [noun] > overwhelming > condition of stupora1398 stare?a1500 a1500 R. Henryson tr. Æsop Fables: Fox & Wolf l. 737 in Poems (1981) 32 All stonist still in to ane stair he stude. 1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid iv. ii. 58 Sche..in a stair behaldis hym for joy. ?1553 (c1501) G. Douglas Palice of Honour (London) iii. l. 1461 in Shorter Poems (1967) 94 Thus in stare quhy standis thou stupefak? a1616 W. Shakespeare Tempest (1623) iii. iii. 95 Why stand you In this strange stare ? View more context for this quotation 1790 ‘P. Pindar’ Complimentary Epist. J. Bruce 4 To put all Cawsand in a stare. 1885 E. J. Ensell Lanherst iv. 32 She never cried, nor spoke one word less or more, but stood all of a stare-like. 1900 M. Hewlett Life & Death Richard Yea-and-Nay ii. vii. 315 The lord of the place sat for a long time in a stare, not moving hand or foot. 1922 M. Hewlett Extemporary Ess. 24 He had rowed her out into deep water, there laid by the oars and fallen into a brooding stare. 1950 W. Goyen House of Breath iii. 13 If it was winter, the cattle would be standing in a stare in the fields, dull and motionless. 3. An act of staring; a fixed gaze with the eyes wide open. Also: a particular manner of staring.In quot. 1785 as mass noun: the action or habit of staring. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > a look or glance > [noun] > stare or gaze stare1553 gaze1566 goggle1651 gloze1654 gape1660 glower1715 dead set1781 death stare1818 death glare1819 eyeful1847 gape-seed1852 1553 T. Paynell tr. Dares Faythfull & True Storye Destr. Troye sig. C.vii^v Merion of a meane stare, ruddye, merye of face, vitious, obstinate, cruell, impacient. 1694 C. Cotton tr. L. Pontis Mem. ii. vii. 272 Casting a malicious stare upon me, as if he could have torn me in pieces. 1700 J. Dryden Chaucer's Palamon & Arcite iii, in Fables 51 He look'd a Lion with a gloomy Stare. 1751 T. Smollett Peregrine Pickle III. xciii. 302 A stare of infinite stolidity. 1778 F. Burney Evelina III. iii. 27 She cast her languishing eyes round the room, with a vacant stare. 1785 W. Cowper Task ii. 430 Avaunt all attitude, and stare, And start theatric, practised at the glass! 1825 T. Roscoe tr. G. Padovani in Ital. Novelists IV. 303 He had nothing of the bold stare affected by military fops. 1841 C. Dickens Old Curiosity Shop i. ii. 80 After bestowing a stare and a frown on me. 1855 Ld. Tennyson Maud xiii. ii, in Maud & Other Poems 45 He..gorgonised me from head to foot With a stony British stare. 1911 J. Galsworthy Patrician ii. ii. 179 Unmoved by the stares of the audience, Barbara sat absorbed in moody thoughts. 1917 A. Cahan Rise of David Levinsky (1993) ix. ii. 228 Lucy gave me a long stare and lost all interest in me. 1967–8 J. R. R. Tolkien Lett. (1995) 393 I remember..the lorgnette stares of the French bourgeoises dames. 2004 P. Southern Craze xviii. 133 She'd never forgotten..the scornful stares of the neighbours. †4. Something stared at; a spectacle. Cf. gaze n. 1 and to make a stare at Phrases 2. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > thing seen > [noun] > thing gazed or stared at gaze1542 gazing1548 gauring-stock1559 eyemark1595 gape-seed1699 stare1753 1753 World 25 Oct. 259 She never hears the word Infidel mentioned from the pulpit, without fancying herself the stare of the whole rabble of believers. 1796 J. G. Holman Abroad & at Home i. 28 Then, splashing, dashing through the town, She drove, the stare of all. a1828 J. Bernard Retrospections of Stage (1830) II. x. 292 I was the stare of the whole room. Phrases †P1. colloquial. on (also upon) the stare: staring, agape; on the lookout (for something). Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > [adverb] > staring or gazing agazec1350 with all the eyes in one's head1483 gazingly1564 at a or the gaze1578 staringly1580 on (also upon) the stare1709 in a gazea1715 upon the gaze1817 1709 R. Steele Tatler No. 41 To hit upon something that puts the Vulgar upon the Stare, or that touches their Compassion. 1804 J. Wolcot Epist. to Ld. Mayor in Wks. (1812) V. 203 We have been upon the stare For your Address. 1842 Graham's Mag. Feb. 103/2 These rustics, when they come to town, are always on the stare for novelties. 1872 O. H. Kay (title of song) Always on the stare. †P2. to make a stare: to make people stare, cause a sensation. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > expectation > feeling of wonder, astonishment > quality of inspiring wonder > be a matter of wonder [verb (intransitive)] > excite wonder dazzle1649 to take a person's breath (away)1700 impress1736 to make a stare1808 astonish1904 to blow (a person's) mind1967 1808 ‘P. Pindar’ One More Peep at Royal Acad. 14 A vulgar world delights in glare, Adores whatever makes a stare. 1819 London Lit. Gaz. 27 Mar. 204/2 I shall send the Transfiguration, which I think will make a stare in England. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2016; most recently modified version published online June 2022). † staren.³ Forms: 1500s–1600s stare, 1600s starre. Origin: A borrowing from Italian. Etymons: Italian stara, staro. Etymology: < Italian †stara, †staro measure of grain, etc. (1221, now staio ) < classical Latin sextārius sextarius n. Compare post-classical Latin stara (12th cent.; 14th cent. in a British source), starium , starius (12th cent.). Compare sester n., sextar n., sextary n. Obsolete. An Italian unit of capacity or weight used chiefly for grain, comparable to a bushel but varying greatly according to locality and the commodity measured. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > measurement > the scientific measurement of volume > measure(s) of capacity > [noun] > specific liquid or dry units > Italian unit stare1540 1540 in State Papers Henry VIII (1849) VIII. 235 ThEmperour hath given this State licence to draw owt of the realme of Naples abowt 80000 staris of wete. 1622 G. de Malynes Consuetudo i. iv. 26 [Italie.] They doe also weigh..by starre of 220 ll weight. 1638 L. Roberts Merchants Mappe of Commerce cxlv. sig. Ff Corne is heere [in Modena] sould by the Staro, 100. whereof makes 93. or 94. Stares in Venetia. 1698 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 20 286 Ashes drawn from a Stare and a half of Bran, burnt..in the Furnace with Sulphur. 1745 New Coll. Voy. & Trav. I. iv. i. 560/2 He [sc. Cada Mosto] observes..That it [sc. Madeira] produced, yearly, thirty thousand Venetian Stares of Bread-Corn. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2016; most recently modified version published online September 2021). starev. Brit. /stɛː/, U.S. /stɛ(ə)r/ Forms: Old English starian, Middle English star, Middle English starre, Middle English steare, Middle English stere, Middle English– stare, 1500s staar, 1500s stayre, 1500s–1600s starde (past tense and past participle), 1600s–1800s star'd (past tense and past participle); also Scottish pre-1700 stair, pre-1700 stayr. Origin: A word inherited from Germanic. Etymology: Cognate with West Frisian stoarje to gaze fixedly, Middle Dutch, Dutch staren to gaze fixedly, Middle Low German staren to gaze fixedly, (of the eyes) to become dim, Old High German starēn , starōn to look, to gaze fixedly (Middle High German staren to gaze fixedly), Old Icelandic stara , Norwegian (Nynorsk) stara , both in sense ‘to gaze fixedly’ < a Germanic base with a basic sense ‘to be rigid’ shown also by e.g. stark adj. and start v. (see discussion at star-blind adj.¹).Compare ( < the same base with different stem-class) Dutch starren to gaze fixedly (17th cent.), Old Saxon starron to gaze fixedly (Middle Low German starren to be rigid, (also occasionally) to gaze fixedly), Middle High German starren to be rigid (German starren to be rigid (now rare), to gaze fixedly); compare also Old High German storrēn to protrude, project. In Old English a (rare) prefixed form gestarian to gaze fixedly (compare y- prefix) is also attested. 1. a. intransitive. To gaze fixedly and with the eyes wide open. Of the eyes: to gaze in this way. In modern use chiefly with at, but also with into, in (a person's face), and occasionally other prepositions; formerly (now somewhat archaic) on, upon. Also with adverb or adverbial phrase denoting direction (also about, around).In early use typically with implication that the object stared at is one on which the gaze has been deliberately fixed, as for scrutiny or careful examination. In later use often with implication of casual, unthinking, purposeless, or undirected gazing. The action may also be an expression of other emotions or mental states: see sense 1c. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > see [verb (intransitive)] > stare or gaze stareOE gawc1175 darea1225 porec1300 muse1340 glowc1374 gogglec1380 gazec1386 glore?a1400 glopc1400 govec1480 glower?a1513 gowk1513 daze1523 amuse1532 glew1587 to feed one's eyes1590 to seek, buy, or sow gape-seed1598 to shoot one's eyes1602 glazea1616 stargaze1639 gaum1691 to stare like a stuck pig1702 ygaze1737 gawk1785 to feed one's sight1813 gloze1853 glow1856 OE Ælfric Catholic Homilies: 1st Ser. (Royal) (1997) xxi. 345 Ða ða hi up to heofenum starigende stodon, þa gesawon hi þær twegen englas. OE Ælfric Lives of Saints (Julius) (1881) I. 334 Se earn flyhð ealra fugela ufemest, and mæg swyðost starian on þære sunnan leoman. c1300 St. Michael (Laud) l. 798 in C. Horstmann Early S.-Eng. Legendary (1887) 322 Þeos soulene..bi-leueth þat bodi in foule heowe, þe eiȝene stareInde, And þe mouth of foul semblaunt. c1350 Nominale (Cambr. Ee.4.20) in Trans. Philol. Soc. (1906) 8* Homme doile guenyle, M[an]. with ee starith. c1400 (?c1380) Pearl l. 149 Abowte me con I stote and stare; To fynde a forþe. a1450 (a1387) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Rawl.) (1960) A. xii. l. 61 (MED) I stode stille in a stodie and stared abowte. 1523 J. Skelton Goodly Garlande of Laurell sig. A.vi^v Iche man stode gasyng & staryng vpon other. 1557 Earl of Surrey et al. Songes & Sonettes (new ed.) f. 95 For had he come in golden garmentes bright, Or so as men mought haue starde on the light. 1570 P. Levens Manipulus Vocabulorum sig. Qiv^v/1 To Stayre, aspicere, contemplare. a1586 Sir P. Sidney Arcadia (1590) i. xiii. sig. I2^v Standing vpon his tip-toes, and staring as though he would haue a mote pulled out of his eie. 1589 G. Puttenham Arte Eng. Poesie iii. xxiv. 246 King Henry th'eight..could not abide to haue any man stare in his face. 1638 F. Junius Painting of Ancients 43 A man may find them always upon the monster-market, where they stand and stare upon such maimed creatures. 1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Pastorals vi, in tr. Virgil Wks. 27 He stares around, with stupid Eyes. 1703 C. Cibber She wou'd & she wou'd Not v. 68 How shall I be star'd at when I give an Account of this to my Father or your Friends in Sevil? 1713 Englishman (1714) 50 The Porter, after being chafed and clamoured into Life, stared about, took by Degrees Courage from seeing so many People round him, [etc.]. 1781 C. Johnstone Hist. John Juniper II. 228 I could not help staring at her, in such a way, as struck her notice. 1809 S. Mackay tr. J.-J. Regnault-Warin Magdalen Church-yard II. ix. 65 Billaud de Varennes..appeared to be sleeping; Robespierre, livid and trembling, stared vacantly; d'Orleans..looked attentively on the accused, his defender, and [etc.]. 1817 J. Keats Sonnets xi Like stout Cortez when with eagle eyes He star'd at the Pacific. 1818 W. Scott Heart of Mid-Lothian viii, in Tales of my Landlord 2nd Ser. I. 234 There was..scarce a maiden on whom he did not stare. 1821 M. R. Sterndale Life of Boy I. iii. 57 They left her loitering near the door, and staring idly after them. 1827 tr. A. L. Grimm Fairy Tales 131 He stared vacantly into the black vault of the night-heaven, and thought to himself [etc.]. 1846 C. Dickens Dombey & Son (1848) iv. 25 By having stared for three or four days successively, through every optical instrument in his shop. 1865 D. Livingstone & C. Livingstone Narr. Exped. Zambesi xvi. 326 They [sc. hippopotami] stare with peculiar stolid looks. 1878 M. E. Braddon Eleanor's Victory i A few hurried off to the Market-place, to stare at the Cathedral Church of Saint Jacques. 1907 J. A. Hodges Elem. Photogr. (ed. 6) 119 The sitter should never be allowed to stare into the lens. 1912 C. McEvoy Brass Faces (1913) iv. 47 He stared dully at the huge headlines that were spread across the width of three columns. 1972 Last Whole Earth Catal. (Portola Inst.) 67/3 She..sat on the curb in the lotus posture and stared off into the east. 1985 H. Graham Golden Surrender xx. 291 You keep that grief alive and well by spending your days staring upon your pale and shriveled bartered bride. 2002 J. Ruganda Igereka 45 Don't frown at me... It's rude to stare, didn't anyone ever teach you that? 2013 Straits Times (Singapore) 23 Aug. (Urban section) 20/2 We stare at our computer screens for at least nine hours a day. †b. intransitive. Without specific implication as to manner of gaze: to look. Obsolete.In some Middle English poetry apparently for reasons of rhyme or alliteration. Cf. stare n.² 1. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > see [verb (intransitive)] > look or behold belookeOE lookeOE beseec1000 stareOE showOE beholdc1175 seec1225 heedc1275 witec1320 advisec1325 to see to ——a1375 rewarda1382 to cast an eye, glance, lookc1385 blush?a1400 glift?a1400 visea1400 considerc1400 vizy1513 regard1523 spectate1709 to have a see1839 look-see1862 vision1898 screw1905 shufti1943 to take (or have) a shufti1943 OE Christ & Satan 139 Ne mot ic hihtlicran hames brucan..ne on þa beorhtan gescæft ne mot ic æfre ma eagum starian. OE Durham Proverbs (1956) 12 Cecus duobus oculis qui pectore non cernit. Blind byþ bam eagum se þe breostum ne starat. OE Wulfstan Homily (Hatton 113) in A. S. Napier Wulfstan (1883) 4 La, hwæt byð betweonan mannes and nytenes andgyte, gyf he nat ne witan nele, butan þæt he on starað? 1372 in C. Brown Relig. Lyrics 14th Cent. (1924) 76 (MED) Þei stoden & stareden after þe sterre. a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) vi. l. 178 Whanne I mai upon hire stare [rhyme fare],..Myn herte is full of such gladnesse. c1450 (a1425) Metrical Paraphr. Old Test. (Selden) l. 11239 (MED) Ely stud styll on þem to stare. c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 86 Wo so staris on þis story or stodis þerin Take hede on þe harmys & the hard lurs. c. With reference to various mental states associated with the manner of looking or gazing described at sense 1a. (a) intransitive. To open the eyes wide in madness or fury; to glare. Often in alliterative or rhyming phrases, e.g. scowl and stare, stamp and stare (see stamp v. 2c), swear and stare, denoting behaviour characteristic of uncontrolled rage. Now somewhat rare. ΘΚΠ the world > health and disease > mental health > mental illness > be or become mad [verb (intransitive)] dwelec900 wedec900 awedeeOE starea1275 braidc1275 ravea1325 to be out of mindc1325 woodc1374 to lose one's mindc1380 madc1384 forgetc1385 to go out of one's minda1398 to wede (out) of, but wita1400 foolc1400 to go (also fall, run) mada1450 forcene1490 ragec1515 waltc1540 maddle?c1550 to go (also run, set) a-madding (or on madding)1565 pass of wita1616 to have a gad-bee in one's brain1682 madden1704 to go (also be) off at the nail1721 distract1768 craze1818 to get a rat1890 to need (to have) one's head examined (also checked, read)1896 (to have) bats in the belfryc1901 to have straws in one's hair1923 to take the bats1927 to go haywire1929 to go mental1930 to go troppo1941 to come apart1954 the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > see [verb (intransitive)] > look fiercely starea1275 glare1609 the mind > emotion > anger > manifestation of anger > show anger [verb (intransitive)] > look angry starea1275 grima1400 to look black1608 to speak or look daggers1834 a1275 in C. Brown Eng. Lyrics 13th Cent. (1932) 49 He gonet wid is mouþe & staret [c1275 Calig. stareþ] wid is eyen, Of is neose-þurlis comet starke leyen. c1275 (?c1250) Owl & Nightingale (Calig.) (1935) 77 Þu starest so þu wille abiten. c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) 508 He him bi stod, Starinde als he were wod. c1390 in C. Horstmann Minor Poems Vernon MS (1892) i. 143 Þe Ieuh bi-gon to stare and swere And seide þer com non such child þere. a1425 (a1400) Prick of Conscience (Galba & Harl.) (1863) 2225 Als wode lyons þai sal þan fare, And raumpe on hym, and skoul, and stare. c1475 (c1399) Mum & Sothsegger (Cambr. Ll.4.14) (1936) iii. l. 189 This makyth men..to stroute and to stare and stryue aȝeyn vertu. 1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 733/2 I stare, as a mans eyes stare for anger. 1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VI f. cxxxj^v Lorde how the Flemines bragged..that Calice should be wonne..swearyng, and staryng, that thei would haue it, within thre daies at the moste. ?1577 J. Northbrooke Spiritus est Vicarius Christi: Treat. Dicing To Rdr. sig. A.iiij If he can sweare and stare, they say he hath a stout courage. 1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene i. iv. sig. D4^v His eies..Stared sterne on all, that him beheld. 1615 J. Taylor Revenge in Wks. (1630) ii. 145/2 Some laught, some swore, some star'd and stamp'd and curst. 1667 S. Sturmy Mariners Mag. (1669) Friendly Advt. sig. c3^v They..will swear and stare, crack and boast, That they have done all things according to Art. 1716 N. W. Hist. George a Green iv. 27 Mannering seeing this, began to stamp, stare and swear. 1795 A. Hughes Jemima I. x. 167 At last he ran staring and swearing out of the parlour, only bidding me not tell I had seen him. 1837 A. Tennent Force of Imag. 64 His eye-balls stared with vicious scowl. 1871 Lippincott's Mag. Jan. 22/1 Frenchmen could be so theatrical in their ways, jumping and staring and swearing over such a commonplace order. 1998 Times 11 Aug. 16/6 Donald, staring and swearing, bowled like a man dispossessed. (b) intransitive. To open the eyes wide in amazement; (hence) to be amazed or astonished. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > expectation > feeling of wonder, astonishment > feel wonder, be amazed [verb (intransitive)] > gaze in wonder gaurec1374 starea1375 gape1377 to stare like a stuck pig1702 gawp1728 the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > see [verb (intransitive)] > stare or gaze > specifically in surprise starea1375 lookc1425 a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) l. 880 (MED) Witerly he couþe no word long þer-after spek, but stared on here stifly, a-stoneyd for ioye. ?a1425 Pistel of Swete Susan (Huntington) l. 285 Tho cryed þat ferly [read frely] fode: ‘Why spillist þou innocentis blode?’ And all þei starid [c1390 Vernon stoteyd, c1450 Calig. were a-stonyed, ?c1450 Pierpont Morgan stynted] and stode. c1475 (c1399) Mum & Sothsegger (Cambr. Ll.4.14) (1936) ii. l. 8 (MED) Some stode astonyed and stared for drede. 1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene i. ix. sig. I2 His hollow eyne Lookt deadly dull, and stared as astound. 1624 T. Heywood Γυναικεῖον viii. 391 The people stare To see my garments torne, and brests unbare. 1663 J. Spencer Disc. Prodigies (1665) 241 God's Miraculous Works never come forth (like a Jugler's tricks) soly to make men stare and wonder. 1694 L. Echard tr. Plautus Amphitryon iv. iii, in tr. Plautus Comedies 48 What makes ye stare so, Bufflehead? 1716 Lady M. W. Montagu Let. 13 Aug. (1965) I. 252 I was yesterday at the French church and star'd very much at their manner of Service. 1782 W. Cowper John Gilpin 194 Said John, It is my wedding day And all the world would stare If wife should dine at Edmonton And I should dine at Ware! 1789 W. Pitt Let. 8 Nov. in G. Rose Diaries (1860) I. 98 You will stare a good deal at the circumstance which makes me write this letter. 1815 W. Scott Guy Mannering III. xix. 355 Mac-Morlan will stare when he sees the bill. 1821 Ld. Byron Don Juan: Canto III lxxxi. 43 Even good men like to make the public stare. 1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. vii. 194 Mordaunt wanted merely to enjoy the excitement of conflict, and to make men stare. 1850 A. Jameson Legends Monastic Orders 448 To produce such illusions as make the vulgar stare. 1855 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. III. xv. 605 The other councillors stared, but remained silent. 1902 V. Jacob Sheep-stealers viii Bumpett stared blankly. For once in his life he was quite taken aback. 1975 L. Goreau Just Mahalia, Baby lxxvii. 523 ‘Louise, I came to tell you you're not going to Europe—it's Gwen, Charles, and me who're going.’ Louise just stared, unbelieving. 2005 S. A. Bernskoetter Surviving Twilight vi. 175 What really made me stare with an open mouth..was the following quote. d. intransitive. figurative. Esp. in expressions likening windows or light sources to eyes.In some contexts hard to distinguish from sense 2. ΚΠ 1609 W. M. Man in Moone sig. B The starres stared vppon me, beasts looked wistly after me, battes flew about mine eares, and the owle whooted ouer mine head. 1657 N. Billingsley Brachy-martyrologia iii. 12 So said, thus rack'd, into a fire he's thrown, And now his wasting bowels stared on The Tyrants face. 1787 ‘P. Pindar’ Lousiad: Canto II 26 in Lousiad: Canto I (ed. 4) In that snug room..Whose window stares upon the saunt'ring park. 1825 C. Lamb in London Mag. Apr. 514 And then came staring upon her the figures of her little stockingless and shoeless sisters. 1895 P. Hemingway Out of Egypt ii. 175 One evening, as I stood watching a vessel in the harbour, that stared townwards with a hundred round unblinking eyes. 1909 R. Bridges Paraphr. Virgil's Æneid vi, in Poems (1913) 457 Right i' the front stareth the columnar gate adamantine. 1964 P. Marshall tr. B. Andersen in Lit. Rev. 8 77 The lighthouse stares pale and bitter toward the ship's gloating jaws. 2010 Express (Nexis) 6 Nov. 20 Alongside a rough dirt track that marks the end of Greek control a row of unmanned sentry towers stare at similar structures just yards away on the Turkish side. e. transitive. To convey or express (esp. an emotion) with a stare. ΚΠ 1730 A. Brice Freedom 113 Desp'rate the Crew, Staring Amazement. 1776 B. Simonds Treat. Field Diversions 48 Staring Amazement, panting Toby stands. 1851 C. Mackay Mormons viii. 205 Some splendid Indians..had been..staring their inability to comprehend the wonderful performances. 1871 Atlantic Monthly Mar. 303/1 Wallace, who was not quick at repartee.., simply stared his indignation. 1910 ‘J. Brandane’ My Lady of Aros (1911) 229 He lay back on his bed of bracken..and stared contempt at the bully. 1990 I. Mitchell tr. V. Canetti Yellow St. ii. 8 He stared his contempt at the gorilla as if it were alive. 2. †a. intransitive. To shine, gleam. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > light > shine [verb (intransitive)] shinec725 brighteOE blika1000 lightOE shimmera1100 starec1225 lightena1382 blikena1400 glowa1400 sheenc1420 flourish1587 to stick off1604 lamp1609 skyre1677 gloze1820 moon1885 c1225 (?c1200) St. Margaret (Bodl.) (1934) 20 (MED) His twa ehnen steareden steappre þen þe steoren & ten ȝimstanes. c1400 (?c1380) Pearl l. 116 As stremande sterneȝ..Staren in welkyn in wynter nyȝt. c1450 (?a1400) Wars Alexander (Ashm.) l. 3796 (MED) As ai stremand sternes stared all þaire wedis. c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 113^v The sternes full stithly starond o lofte. c1600 (?c1395) Pierce Ploughman's Crede (Trin. Cambr. R.3.15) (1873) l. 553 Þei ben y-sewed wiþ whiȝt silk.., Y-stongen wiþ stiches þat stareþ as siluer. b. intransitive. More generally: to be visually conspicuous or prominent. Now rare.Esp. of the bones as seen through the skin, typically as a sign of emaciation or poor health. ΘΚΠ society > communication > manifestation > [verb (intransitive)] > strikingly shinec1340 to stand fortha1425 to stick out1612 to stick off1613 to stand offa1616 stare1645 glare1712 to stand out1824 to burn out, forth1834 the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > visibility > be visible [verb (intransitive)] > be clearly visible > be conspicuous to stand fortha1425 to catch the (also a person's) eye1585 salutea1586 stare1645 to make (familiarly to cut) a figure1699 to show up1860 to jump to the eye(s)1926 to stick (or stand) out like a sore thumb1936 1535 Bible (Coverdale) Psalms xxi. B I might haue tolde all my bones: as for them, they stode staringe and lokinge vpon me.] 1645 R. Harris True Relig. 28 Shall the bones of Christ stare and stand out? shall the naked flesh and skin of Chirst pine away for want of succour? 1666 J. Smith Γηροκομία Βασιλικὴ 187 The bones stare through the skin, the flesh that should cover them is wasted much away. 1794 Evangelical Mag. Feb. 54 He was sitting in St. Paul's church, almost spent with long fasting, his bones staring, his countenance pale. 1831 Asiatic Jrnl. & Monthly Reg. 6 ii. 111/1 The dark rock stares through the snow in the highest regions. 1863 C. C. Clarke Shakespeare-characters iii. 84 Their subtleties of character stare out like the bones of a starved beast. 1916 R. M. Hallet Trial by Fire i. 4 He was as lean all over as a spectre; the looming skull stared through the skin of his face like the shadow of death impending. 1931 M. Steen Unicorn ii. iii. 163 Every evening their [sc. goats'] piteous procession came herded down,..bones staring through their cruelly heavy hides. 3. To stare at. a. transitive. With complement specifying the focus or range of the gaze. Cf. look v. 2a(b).Recorded earliest in to stare (a person) in the face at Phrases 1; also commonly in to stare up and down. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > see [verb (transitive)] > stare or gaze at bestarec1220 bigapea1250 to gape atc1290 fix14.. to stick one's eyes in (also into)c1485 attacha1500 porec1500 to take feeding (of)c1500 stare1510 (to have) in gaze1577 gaze1591 outstare1596 over-stare1600 devour1628 trysta1694 ogle1795 begaze1802 toise1888 fixate1889 rubberneck1897 eyeball1901 1510–13 Mery Geste of Frere & Boye sig. A.iij. Whan my fader gyueth me mete She wolde theron that I were cheke And stareth me in the face. 1823 J. Neal Seventy-six I. x. 191 She..stood a moment on tip toe, about a foot from my face—staring me in the eyes. 1834 G. P. R. James John Marston Hall II. iii. 83 The governor knit his brows, and stared me all over with a heavy frown. 1866 ‘B. O'Barry’ Queer Customers 20 ‘I doubt it, Con, darlint,’ says he, as he stared me up and down. 1949 Harper's Mag. May 91/1 He stared him up and down in an appraising manner. 1973 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 22 Dec. 33/2 The..goaltender..had been taught to outguess shooters by staring them in the eye. a1987 D. Marechera in F. Veit-Wild Dambudzo Marechera (1992) iv. 102 Manager: We brought civilisation—Hudson: [Staring him from head to foot] You? 2002 Guardian 8 May (G2 section) 10/1 A police van passes me slowly by and eight feds stare me up and down. b. transitive. With object complement: to cause (a person or thing) to pass into a certain place, state, or condition by staring. Formerly frequently in to stare (a person) out of countenance (see countenance n.¹ 6b). Cf. look v. 2c. See also to stare down at Phrasal verbs, to stare out at Phrasal verbs. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > see [verb (transitive)] > stare or gaze at > bring about by staring stare1663 pore1707 1663 W. Clark Marciano iii. vi. 42 Tush, as for death, I fear the varlet not, I've often stare'd him out of countenance. 1672 Duke of Buckingham Rehearsal iv. 38 Who e'er to gulp one drop of this dares think I'l stare away his very pow'r to drink. 1719 in T. D'Urfey Wit & Mirth III. 319 The..Stone..stares Deucalions..Boys, into..Pebbles. 1733 London Mag. Feb. 68/2 The Creature is so sheepish, I stare him out of Countenance in an Instant. 1748 S. Richardson Clarissa IV. xiv. 63 Taking my two hands, [he] stared me into a half-confusion. 1833 E. Bulwer-Lytton Godolphin I. xxiii. 276 She did not stare young men out of countenance. 1844 E. B. Barrett Poems II. 265 Thou art staring the stars pale! 1936 Pop. Mech. July 136 a/2 The old story of the strong-willed man staring the wild beast out of countenance. 1990 S. Schecter AIDS Notebks. 54 Even the leaves outside the window remain impassive and opaque, and I cannot stare them into poetry. 2011 D. Spiotta Stone Arabia 63 Sitting there, with his hand on mine, staring me into desiring him. 4. intransitive. Of hair, a horse's coat, feathers, or fibres of any kind: to stand on end; to stick up. In later use chiefly as a technical term in describing the condition of an animal. Formerly also: †to spread out (obsolete).Also in extended use (see quot. 1829). ΘΚΠ the world > life > the body > hair > horripilation > [verb (intransitive)] bristle1480 to stick upa1500 to stand or start widdershins1513 upstart1513 starta1522 stare?1523 to start up1553 rousea1616 horripilate1623 stiver1790 uprise1827 upstare1886 the world > animals > animal body > general parts > covering or skin > [verb (intransitive)] > stand on end (of hair) stare?1523 ?1523 J. Fitzherbert Bk. Husbandry f. xxv^v Loke well that the heer stare nat. a1560 T. Phaer tr. Virgil Nyne Fyrst Bks. Eneidos (1562) ix. sig. Ddiij Thou sawest..how his helmet crest did streaming stare? 1565 T. Cooper Thesaurus at Coma Horror comas erexit, feare made his heare to stare. 1590 T. Cokayne Treat. Hunting sig. D j His coate also will stare and frise so vppon him, as you may easely knowe him thereby. 1603 G. Owen Descr. Penbrokshire (1892) 127 The here of the seale stareth at the South windes. 1614 Life & Death E. Geninges vi. 55 His face glowed, and as he thought his hayre stared. 1621 R. Burton Anat. Melancholy i. ii. iv. iii. 195 There was such an hideous noyse..that their haire stared for feare. 1677 T. D'Urfey Madam Fickle iii. 36 See how his Perriwig stares with his wild passion. a1722 E. Lisle Observ. Husbandry (1757) 319 Their skins would turn scurfy and starky, and their wool stare and grow thin. 1748 S. Richardson Clarissa VI. xli. 157 Four old turkey-worked chairs, bursten-bottomed, the stuffing staring out. 1788 New London Mag. 624 When the whole is dry, dress the feathers round the outline that may chance to stare a little. 1806 J. Beresford Miseries Human Life I. x. 254 Its [sc. a toothbrush's] few remaining hairs staring off horizontally on all sides. 1808 W. Scott Marmion ii. xxxii. 110 The locks, that wont her brow to shade, Stared up erectly from her head. 1829 S. Shaw Hist. Staffs. Potteries i. 4 A few strata stare, i.e. are almost perpendicular to the surface. 1888 Lancet 14 Jan. 96/1 The affected cows were restless and irritable; their coats ‘stared’. 1891 Labour Commission Gloss. at Nap [Filaments of cotton yarn] are very sensitive to electrical conditions, hence the importance of means to make them lie as smooth as possible, otherwise they polarise in all directions, that is ‘stare’. 1904 Jrnl. Board Agric. Mar. 482 The feathers ‘stare’, especially across the back, and..the bird has no strength in its legs at all. 1960 M. Williams Adventures Unbridled ii. 43 Her [sc. a horse's] nose began to stream in earnest, her coat to stare. 2009 Western Morning News (Plymouth) (Nexis) 19 Aug. 10 The fashion of applying oil on [ponies'] coats in my opinion has gone too far... In hot weather it makes the coat stare. Phrases P1. to stare (a person) in the face: (a) to stare at a person's face; (b) (of a thing) to be glaringly obvious to, to force itself on the notice of; used esp. with reference to something which ought to be obvious but which has nevertheless been overlooked. [Compare earlier to look (a person) in the face at face n. Phrases 1c.] ΘΚΠ society > communication > manifestation > [verb (intransitive)] seem1340 to prove wellc1387 showa1393 appearc1400 to stare (a person) in the face1510 sparkle1597 shinea1616 transpear1645 relate1663 it is visible1693 to speak out1846 notice1961 the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > visibility > be visible [verb (intransitive)] > be clearly visible to stare (a person) in the face1510 the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > see [verb (transitive)] > stare or gaze at > in the face to look (a person, etc.) in the facec1400 to stare (a person) in the face1510 to fix (a person) with one's eyes1792 envisage1820 fasten1870 impale1877 1510–13 Mery Geste of Frere & Boye sig. A.iij. Whan my fader gyueth me mete She wolde theron that I were cheke And stareth me in the face. 1591 R. Wilmot Tancred & Gismund v. i. sig. F4^v Which way so ere I turn mine eyes, me thinks His butchered corps stands staring in my face. 1615 A. Stafford Heavenly Dogge 64 I will stare my headsman in the face with as much confidence, as if he came to barbe mee. 1690 J. Locke Ess. Humane Understanding i. iii. 20 Whether it be possible, for People..to offend against a Law..that stares them in the Face, whilst they are breaking it? 1698 J. Fryer New Acct. E.-India & Persia 9 They staring one in the Face, and in the mean time..steal a Handkerchief. 1727 Visct. Bolingbroke Occas. Writer No. 2. 44 This terrible Object stares our speculative Enquirer in the Face, and disturbs his Head. 1769 ‘Junius’ Stat Nominis Umbra (1772) I. xix. 130 The contradiction was unexpectedly urged, and stared him in the face. 1790 W. Buchan Domest. Med. (ed. 11) xlv. 469 Few people will submit to the extirpation till death stares them in the face. 1817 Ld. Ellenborough in Maule & Selwyn's Rep. VI. 316 When he knew himself insolvent, and when ruin and bankruptcy were staring him in the face. 1855 W. Thomson Outl. Laws of Thought §46 A man stares his friend in the face without recognising him. 1912 Throne 7 Aug. 205/1 To minimise the severity of the defeat which Ministers see staring them in the face. 1966 J. B. Priestley Salt is Leaving iii. 43 She found the Mahler album... ‘It must have been staring you in the face,’ she added. 1979 A. Boyle Climate of Treason viii. 236 The over-caution of Cowgill in fumbling for conclusions that stared him in the face demanded some patience. 2002 S. McKenna Behind Closed Doors xviii. 258 She stared him in the face, eyes wide and glittering with unshed tears. 2013 B. Crystal Springboard Shakespeare: Hamlet 141 Only in her death does Horatio realise the truth that's been staring him in the face. P2. colloquial. as —— as he (also she, etc.) can stare: very ——, utterly ——. Earliest and chiefly in as like (a person) as he (also she, etc.) can stare: having a very close resemblance to (a person). Now archaic. ΚΠ 1690 Bloody Duke v. i. 50 They are terrible Fellows I'll warrant ye; the Pagan Plot was one of theirs, it was as like 'em as ever they could stare. 1712 J. Addison Spectator No. 299. ¶2 I have a little Chub-faced Boy as like me as he can stare. 1767 A. Murphy School for Guardians iv. 59 I remember all that, and it's as like miss Mary Ann as it can stare. 1801 Ann. Reg. 1799 (Otridge ed.) Poetry 470 ‘What doth Cobb own that any rain can hurt?’ Roar'd furious Jay, as broad as he could stare. 1811 J. Austen Sense & Sensibility I. xiii. 155 Oh! yes; and as like him as she can stare . View more context for this quotation 1847 E. Leslie Leonilla Lynmore 59 ‘Well—here's your sweet-heart’—pursued the fortune-teller—‘as dark-complected as he can stare.’ 1886 London Soc. Feb. 158 He was just as unlike any one of Miss Alice's heroes as he could stare. 1892 Good Words Jan. 348/2 He's a right Malreward, let the law say what it will, and let him look as like a gipsy as he can stare! 1996 M. Kirkland Ruby Necklace iii. 43 ‘Handsome as he can stare,’ Agnes had called him. 2005 J. Justiss Courtesan viii. 99 The woman Mae might be as vulgar as she could stare, but in a few short minutes she'd already offered more information about Belle than [etc.]. Phrasal verbs to stare down transitive. To stare at (someone) without being first to blink or lower one's gaze, usually as an expression of resistance or hostility; to outstare. Also figurative and in extended use. ΘΚΠ the mind > emotion > pride > impudence > treat impudently [verb (transitive)] > oppose or confront impudently face1465 overfacec1475 outface?1499 to face down (also out)1530 out-countenancec1585 outstare1596 outlook1599 nose1632 to stare down1798 out-breast1839 1798 A. Browne Misc. Sketches I. 181 They are able with unblushing cheek to stare down the passenger who gazes at their beauty. 1854 ‘T. Gwynne’ Nanette & her Lovers 72 A..quizzing-glass, through which Mucius attempted to stare people down. 1870 Peterson's Mag. Sept. 188/2 Mrs. Mortimer Montgomery had merely placed her eyeglass in her aristocratic eye and stared her down. 1946 T. H. White Mistress Masham's Repose xiv. 115 Miss Brown searched out her pupil's eyes and fixed them with her own. She had a..trick of staring Maria down. 1979 Guardian 12 Jan. 8/5 Some measure of fiscal ‘mid-term adjustment’..is called for. So is a serious attempt to stare down the local government workers. 2004 J. Burchill Sugar Rush (2005) 19 He was staring me hard in the face. Staring me down, I suddenly thought. Waiting for me to cry. to stare out transitive. = to stare down at Phrasal verbs. ΚΠ 1854 Family Herald 22 Sept. 324/1 As Eunice was driven along to Park Street, she bore unflinchingly the scrutinising gaze of Lady Payne... Not caring to stare her out, Eunice presently employed herself with looking out of the window. 1856 C. Dickens Little Dorrit (1857) i. xxiv. 215 ‘She looked at the Princess, and the Princess looked at her.’ ‘Like trying to stare one another out,’ said Maggy. 1912 C. P. Tibbits Cities seen East & West i. 89 You may try for ten minutes to stare her out, you won't succeed. 1965 ‘T. Hinde’ Games of Chance i. iv. 110 That made me shout at Kenny a lot, and mimic him, and stare him out. 2003 J. Burdett Bangkok 8 (2004) xviii. 99 He toys with the idea of staring me out..but decides on a posture of meekness and looks away. Compounds † stare-about n. Obsolete rare a person who stares about. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > one who sees > [noun] > starer or gazer gazer1548 starer1600 gogglea1625 stare-about1631 gapera1637 gloater1659 ogler1692 gilly-gaupus?1719 gape-seed1885 gongoozler1904 gawker1951 gawper1965 1631 B. Jonson Bartholmew Fayre iii. v. 43 in Wks. II They stick not the Stare-abouts purses to take. 1899 J. Davidson Last Ballad 124 Eddying groups of stare-abouts Quiz the sandstone Hercules. 1909 J. Davidson Fleet St. 10 Alsatians pass and Templars; stareabouts For the new motion of Nineveh. stare-cat n. U.S. colloquial (now rare) a person who habitually stares at others. ΚΠ 1854 G. Payson Totemwell xxi. 294 Those Redwoods are the most awful starecats, and they'll be sure to see me going into the doctor's. 1897 E. D. Deland Successful Venture v. 85 You're such a stare-cat. 1901 A. E. Blanchard Mistress May i. 13 Turn your green eyes some other way, Pinky, you stare at me so, you old stare cat you. 1952 G. Cotterell Westward the Sun xix. 214 She was a stare-cat if ever there was one. stare-you-out n. the activity of attempting to stare someone out (see to stare out at Phrasal verbs), esp. as a children's game; also attributive, esp. with reference to a person with an unwavering or penetrating gaze. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > [noun] > staring or gazing poring1340 staring1440 gazingc1502 goggling1540 gazement1596 stare-you-out1932 society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > children's game > other children's games > [noun] > others buckle-pit1532 marrowbone1533 put-pin?1577 primus secundus1584 fox in the hole1585 haltering of Hick's mare1585 muss1591 pushpin1598 Jack-in-the-box1600 a penny in the forehead1602 buckerels1649 bumdockdousse1653 peck-point1653 toro1660 wheelbarrow1740 thread-needle1751 thrush-a-thrush1766 runaway ring?1790 Gregory1801 pick-point1801 fighting cocks1807 runaway knock1813 tit-tat-toe1818 French and English1820 honeypots1821 roly-poly1821 tickle-tail1821 pottle1822 King of Cantland1825 tip-top-castle1834 tile1837 statue1839 chip stone1843 hen and chickens1843 king of the castle1843 King Caesar1849 rap-jacket1870 old witch1881 tick-tack-toe1884 twos and threes1896 last across (the road)1904 step1909 king of the hill1928 Pooh-sticks1928 trick or treat1928 stare-you-out1932 king of the mountain1933 dab cricket1938 Urkey1938 trick-or-treating1941 seven-up1950 squashed tomato1959 slot-racing1965 Pog1993 knights- 1932 P. MacDonald Escape xv. 224 It was as if they were kids who'd been playing a game of Stare You Out and found that neither could win. 1962 E. O'Brien Lonely Girl ix. 107 In the village..people stopped to look..with savage stare-you-out eyes. 1972 ‘J. Quartermain’ Rock of Diamond xxvi. 140 She held her expression... I grinned and played ‘Stare-you-out’. But I blinked first. 1977 D. Morris Manwatching 75 (caption) Such is the impact of the close-quarters gaze that the schoolboy game of stare-you-out is extremely difficult to maintain over a long period of time. 2012 F. McNeil Woman Unknown xxiv. 211 Mrs Shackleton had that stare-you-out look in her eye. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2016; most recently modified version published online June 2022). < n.¹eOEn.²c1400n.³1540v.OE
随便看	stressrelieved stressrelieving stressridden stresstest stresstimed stressy stress–strain strestell stretch stretch a halter stretch a point stretch a rope stretch abroad stretch forming stretch it stretch jet stretch limo stretch limousine stretch mark stretch of language stretch one's legs stretch one's length stretch one's oars stretch one's wings stretch out

staren.1

staren.2

Phrases

† staren.3

starev.

Phrases

Phrasal verbs

Compounds

staren.¹

staren.²

† staren.³