STARE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does stare mean? 

• STARE (noun)
  The noun STARE has 1 sense:

1. a fixed look with eyes open wide

  Familiarity information: STARE used as a noun is very rare.

• STARE (verb)
  The verb STARE has 2 senses:

1. look at with fixed eyes

2. fixate one's eyes

  Familiarity information: STARE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• STARE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A fixed look with eyes open wide

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("stare" is a kind of...):

look; looking; looking at (the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "stare"):

gaze; regard (a long fixed look)

glare; glower (an angry stare)

contemplation (a long and thoughtful observation)

gape (a stare of amazement (usually with the mouth open))

Derivation:

stare (fixate one's eyes)

stare (look at with fixed eyes)

• STARE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they stare    ... he / she / it stares   
Past simple: stared   
Past participle: stared   
-ing form: staring   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Look at with fixed eyes

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

gaze; stare

Context example:

The students stared at the teacher with amazement

Hypernyms (to "stare" is one way to...):

look (perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "stare"):

outface; outstare; stare down (overcome or cause to waver or submit by (or as if by) staring)

stargaze (observe the stars)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence example:

They stare up the hill

Derivation:

stare (a fixed look with eyes open wide)

starer (a viewer who gazes fixedly (often with hostility))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Fixate one's eyes

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Context example:

The ancestor in the painting is staring down menacingly

Hypernyms (to "stare" is one way to...):

look (perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "stare"):

glare; glower (look at with a fixed gaze)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sentence example:

They stare up the hill

Derivation:

stare (a fixed look with eyes open wide)

starer (a viewer who gazes fixedly (often with hostility))

 Context examples 

He favoured me with a vicious stare.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Mistress and maid were both staring at Holmes with pale faces and frightened eyes.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Our client had sat up with staring eyes and every tinge of colour struck from his astonished face.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Long after the voice had died away they still stared in silence, dreadfully, before them.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

I stared at him in astonishment.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The expression of her eyes, the hard upward stare, the set of the lips, was new to me.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

How the big eyes stared and the blue lips smiled as the girls went in.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

I stared at Mr. Micawber, who greatly enjoyed my surprise.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

She stared at him with horror in her eyes.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Jonathan kept staring at him, till I was afraid he would notice.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)