stare

¹stare

verb \ˈster\

staredstar·ing

Definition of STARE

intransitive verb

1

: to look fixedly often with wide-open eyes

2

: to show oneself conspicuously <the error stared from the page>

3

of hair : to stand on end : bristle; also : to appear rough and lusterless

transitive verb

1

: to have an effect on by staring

2

: to look at with a searching or earnest gaze

— star·er noun

— stare one in the face

: to be undeniably and forcefully evident or apparent

Examples of STARE

1. She stared out the window.
2. His mother told him not to stare.

Origin of STARE

Middle English, from Old English starian; akin to Old High German starēn to stare, Greek stereos solid, Lithuanian starinti to stiffen

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to STARE

Synonyms: blink, gawk, gawp [chiefly British], gaze, goggle, peer, rubberneck, gape

Related Words: glare, gloat, glower; consider, eye, fixate, observe, regard, watch; leer, ogle; peruse, pore (over), study; outface, outstare, stare down

Near Antonyms: glance, glimpse, peek, peep; browse, dip (into), scan; wink (at)

[+]more[-]hide

Rhymes with STARE

air, Ayr, bare, bear, Blair, blare, care, chair, chare, dare, Dare, e'er, ere, err, eyre, fair, fare, flair, flare, glair, glare, hair, hare, Herr, heir, lair, mare, ne'er, pair, pare, pear, prayer, rare, rear, scare, share, snare, spare, square, stair, swear, tare, tear, their, there, vair, ware, wear, weir, where, yare