stare

[ stair ]

verb (used without object)

, stared, star·ing.

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.

verb (used with object)

, stared, star·ing.

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. to cause to become uncomfortable by gazing steadily at one; overcome by staring:

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

stare

¹

/ stɛə /

verb

1. introften foll byat 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. stare one in the face
   to be glaringly obvious or imminent

noun

1. the act or an instance of staring

stare

²

/ stɛə /

noun

1. dialect.
   a starling

Derived Forms

• ˈstarer, noun

Other Words From

• star·er noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of stare¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of stare¹

Old English starian ; related to Old Norse stara , Old High German starēn to stare, Greek stereos stiff, Latin consternāre to confuse

Origin of stare²

Old English stær

Idioms and Phrases

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.

Synonym Study

See gaze.

Example Sentences

The night is always supposedly darkest before the dawn — and activists are now staring at a black hole seemingly larger than what they faced in 1994.

From Los Angeles Times

I am in a high-end coffee shop in a tech-heavy area of San Francisco, staring suspiciously into a cup of espresso.

From BBC

So, I’m trying to be outside more — I call it my “sit and stare.”

From Los Angeles Times

As he stared solemnly straight ahead at the Cenotaph, was this his own commitment to public service, duty and endurance?

From BBC

Lolesio slotted to put Australia 10 points clear and, with little over 25 minutes left, England were staring down the barrel.

From BBC

Related Words

• beam
• gawk
• glare
• look
• peer