stare

American  

[stair] / stɛər /

verb (used without object)

stared, staring

1. to gaze fixedly and intently, especially with the eyes wide open.

2. to be boldly or obtrusively conspicuous.

   The bright modern painting stares out at you in the otherwise conservative gallery.

3. to be patently or compellingly obvious.

   The stark, staring fact is, you can't do something with nothing.

4. (of hair, feathers, etc.) to stick out or stand on end; bristle.

   Both male and female pheasants are rough-footed and have staring feathers around the head and neck.

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verb (used with object)

stared, staring

1. to stare at.

   to stare a person up and down.

2. to effect or have a certain effect on by staring.

   They all laughed at me and stared me into silence.

noun

1. a staring gaze; a fixed look with the eyes wide open.

   The banker greeted him with a glassy stare.

verb phrase

1. stare down to cause to become uncomfortable by gazing steadily at one; overcome by staring.

   A nonsmoker at the next table tried to stare me down.

idioms

1. stare (something) in the face, to confront or be confronted by (something unpleasant).

   The company is staring bankruptcy in the face.

2. stare one in the face,

   1. (especially of something undesirable) to be patently or compellingly obvious.

      Sounds like a far-fetched theory, but when the evidence is staring you in the face, you have to take notice.

   2. to be urgent or impending; be about to happen.

      The income tax deadline is staring us in the face.

3. staring down the barrel of,

   1. having (a firearm) aimed at one, especially at close range.

      He turned his head and found himself staring down the barrel of a rifle.

   2. facing (a threat, challenging situation, or imminent disaster).

      Motorists are staring down the barrel of a major hike in the price of fuel.

stare ¹ British  

/ stɛə /

verb

1. to look or gaze fixedly, often with hostility or rudeness

2. (intr) (of an animal's fur, bird's feathers, etc) to stand on end because of fear, ill health, etc

3. (intr) to stand out as obvious; glare

4. to be glaringly obvious or imminent

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noun

1. the act or an instance of staring

stare ² British  

/ stɛə /

noun

1. dialect a starling

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Related Words

See gaze.

Other Word Forms

• starer noun

Etymology

Origin of stare

First recorded before 900; Middle English staren, Old English starian; cognate with Dutch staren, German starren, Old Norse stara; akin to stark, starve

Example Sentences

And if, during the first few minutes of your chat, you find yourself unable to stop staring, unable to overlook the fact that Duane is a polar bear, do not worry.

From Literature

She just stood there in the moonlight with a warm little smile on her face, staring out over the river, her black eyes glowing like black haws in the morning dew.

From Literature

Bruno swallowed, staring cross-eyed at the shovel that was just inches from his nose.

From Literature

In accepting the award from presenter Tom Hanks, Lee quoted one of the best known “Brokeback” lines while staring at the statuette: “Wow, I wish I knew how to quit you.”

From Los Angeles Times

By taking on Brontë’s book, Fennell was doomed to stare down millions of overly pedantic literature sticklers, people who prefer their adaptations pure and untainted.

From Salon

Related Words

• beam
• gawk
• glare
• look
• peer