The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary
Chapter 1625
Star"-cham`ber (?) , n. [So called (as conjectured by Blackstone) from being held in a room at the Exchequer where the chests containing certain Jewish comtracts and obligations called starrs (from the Heb. shetar , pron. shtar ) were kept; or from the stars with which the ceiling is supposed to have been decorated.] (Eng. Hist.) An ancient high court exercising jurisdiction in certain cases, mainly criminal, which sat without the intervention of a jury. It consisted of the king's council, or of the privy council only with the addition of certain judges. It could proceed on mere rumor or examine witnesses; it could apply torture. It was abolished by the Long Parliament in 1641.
Encyc. Brit.
Starched <Xpage=1404>
Starched (?) , a. 1. Stiffened with starch.
2. Stiff; precise; formal.
Swift.
Starchedness <Xpage=1404>
Starch"ed*ness (?) , n. The quality or state of being starched; stiffness in manners; formality.
Starcher <Xpage=1404>
Starch"er (?) , n. One who starches.
Starchly <Xpage=1404>
Starch"ly , adv. In a starched or starch manner.
Starchness <Xpage=1404>
Starch"ness , n. Of or pertaining to starched or starch; stiffness of manner; preciseness.
Starchwort <Xpage=1404>
Starch"wort` (?) , n. (Bot.) The cuckoopint, the tubers of which yield a fine quality of starch.
Starchy <Xpage=1404>
Starch"y (?) , a. Consisting of starch; resembling starch; stiff; precise.
Starcraft <Xpage=1404>
Star"craft (?) , n. Astrology. [R.]
Tennyson.
Star-crossed <Xpage=1404>
Star"-crossed` (?) , a. Not favored by the stars; ill-fated. [Poetic]
Shak.
Such in my star-crossed destiny. Massinger.
Stare <Xpage=1404>
Stare (?) , n. [AS. st\'91r . See Starling .] (Zo\'94l.) The starling. [Obs.]
Stare <Xpage=1404>
Stare , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. stared (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. staring .] [AS. starian ; akin to LG. & D. staren , OHG. star\'c7n , G. starren , Icel. stara ; cf. Icel. stira , Dan. stirre , Sw. stirra , and G. starr stiff, rigid, fixed, Gr. <?/ solid (E. stereo- ), Skr. sthira firm, strong. \'fb166. Cf. Sterile .] 1. To look with fixed eyes wide open, as through fear, wonder, surprise, impudence, etc.; to fasten an earnest and prolonged gaze on some object.
For ever upon the ground I see thee stare . Chaucer.
Look not big, nor stamp, nor stare , nor fret. Shak.
2. To be very conspicuous on account of size, prominence, color, or brilliancy; as, staring windows or colors .
3. To stand out; to project; to bristle. [Obs.]
Makest my blood cold, and my hair to stare . Shak.
Take off all the staring straws and jags in the hive. Mortimer.
Syn. -- To gaze; to look earnestly. See Gaze .
Stare <Xpage=1404>
Stare (?) , v. t. To look earnestly at; to gaze at.
I will stare him out of his wits. Shak.
To stare in the face , to be before the eyes, or to be undeniably evident. "The law . . . stares them in the face whilst they are breaking it." Locke.
Stare <Xpage=1404>
Stare , n. The act of staring; a fixed look with eyes wide open. "A dull and stupid stare ."
Churchill.
Starer <Xpage=1404>
Star"er (?) , n. One who stares, or gazes.
Starf <Xpage=1404>
Starf (?) , obs. imp. of Starve . Starved.
Chaucer.
Starfinch <Xpage=1404>
Star"finch` (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) The European redstart.
Starfish <Xpage=1404>
Star"fish (?) , n. 1. (Zo\'94l.) Any one of numerous species of echinoderms belonging to the class Asterioidea, in which the body is star-shaped and usually has five rays, though the number of rays varies from five to forty or more. The rays are often long, but are sometimes so short as to appear only as angles to the disklike body. Called also sea star , five-finger , and stellerid .
&hand; The ophiuroids are also sometimes called starfishes. See Brittle star , and Ophiuroidea .
2. (Zo\'94l.) The dollar fish, or butterfish.
Stargaser <Xpage=1404>
Star"gas`er (?) , n. 1. One who gazes at the stars; an astrologer; sometimes, in derision or contempt, an astronomer.
2. (Zo\'94l.) Any one of several species of spiny-rayed marine fishes belonging to Uranoscopus , Astroscopus , and allied genera, of the family Uranoscopid\'91 . The common species of the Eastern United States are Astroscopus anoplus , and A. guttatus . So called from the position of the eyes, which look directly upward.
Stargasing <Xpage=1404>
Star"gas`ing , n. 1. The act or practice of observing the stars with attention; contemplation of the stars as connected with astrology or astronomy.
Swift.
2. Hence, absent-mindedness; abstraction.
Staringly <Xpage=1404>
Star"ing*ly (?) , adv. With a staring look.
Stark <Xpage=1404>
Stark (?) , a. [ Compar. Starker (?) ; superl. Starkest .] [OE. stark stiff, strong, AS. stearc ; akin to OS. starc strong, D. sterk , OHG. starc , starah , G. & Sw. stark , Dan. st\'91rk , Icel. sterkr , Goth. ga sta\'a3rknan to become dried up, Lith. str\'89gti to stiffen, to freeze. Cf. Starch , a. & n. ] 1. Stiff; rigid.
Chaucer.
Whose senses all were straight benumbed and stark . Spenser.
His heart gan wax as stark as marble stone. Spenser.
Many a nobleman lies stark and stiff Under the hoofs of vaunting enemies. Shak.
The north is not so stark and cold. B. Jonson.
2. Complete; absolute; full; perfect; entire. [Obs.]
Consider the stark security The common wealth is in now. B. Jonson.
3. Strong; vigorous; powerful.
A stark , moss-trooping Scot. Sir W. Scott.
Stark beer, boy, stout and strong beer. Beau. & Fl.
4. Severe; violent; fierce. [Obs.] "In starke stours." [ i. e. , in fierce combats].
Chaucer.
5. Mere; sheer; gross; entire; downright.
He pronounces the citation stark nonsense. Collier.
Rhetoric is very good or stark naught; there's no medium in rhetoric. Selden.
Stark <Xpage=1404>
Stark (?) , adv. Wholly; entirely; absolutely; quite; as, stark mind .
Shak.
Held him strangled in his arms till he was stark dead. Fuller.
Stark naked , wholly naked; quite bare.
Strip your sword stark naked . Shak.
&hand; According to Professor Skeat, " stark-naked " is derived from steort-naked , or start-naked , literally tail-naked , and hence wholly naked . If this etymology be true the preferable form is stark-naked .
Stark <Xpage=1404>
Stark , v. t. To stiffen. [R.]
If horror have not starked your limbs. H. Taylor.
Starkly <Xpage=1404>
Stark"ly , adv. In a stark manner; stiffly; strongly.
Its onward force too starky pent In figure, bone, and lineament. Emerson.
Starkness <Xpage=1404>
Stark"ness , n. The quality or state of being stark.
Starless <Xpage=1404>
Star"less (?) , a. Being without stars; having no stars visible; as, a starless night .
Milton.
Starlight <Xpage=1404>
Star"light` (?) , n. The light given by the stars.
Nor walk by moon, Or glittering starlight , without thee is sweet. Milton.
Starlight <Xpage=1404>
Star"light` , a. Lighted by the stars, or by the stars only; as, a starlight night .
A starlight evening and a morning fair. Dryden.
Starlike <Xpage=1404>
Star"like` (?) , a. 1. Resembling a star; stellated; radiated like a star; as, starlike flowers .
2. Shining; bright; illustrious.
Dryden.
The having turned many to righteousness shall confer a starlike and immortal brightness. Boyle.
Starling <Xpage=1404>
Star"ling (?) , n. [OE. sterlyng , a dim. of OE. stare , AS. st\'91r ; akin to AS. stearn , G. star , staar , OHG. stara , Icel. starri , stari , Sw. stare , Dan. st\'91r , L. sturnus . Cf. Stare a starling.] 1. (Zo\'94l.) Any passerine bird belonging to Sturnus and allied genera. The European starling ( Sturnus vulgaris ) is dark brown or greenish black, with a metallic gloss, and spotted with yellowish white. It is a sociable bird, and builds about houses, old towers, etc. Called also stare , and starred . The pied starling of India is Sternopastor contra .
2. (Zo\'94l.) A California fish; the rock trout.
3. A structure of piles driven round the piers of a bridge for protection and support; -- called also sterling .
Rose-colored starling . (Zo\'94l.) See Pastor .
Starlit <Xpage=1404>
Star"lit` (?) , a. Lighted by the stars; starlight.
Starmonger <Xpage=1404>
Star"mon`ger (?) , n. A fortune teller; an astrologer; -- used in contempt.
B. Jonson.
Starn <Xpage=1404>
Starn (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) The European starling. [Prov. Eng.]
Starnose <Xpage=1404>
Star"nose` (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) A curious American mole ( Condylura cristata ) having the nose expanded at the end into a stellate disk; -- called also star-nosed mole .
Starost <Xpage=1404>
Star"ost (?) , n. [Pol. starosta , from stary old.] A nobleman who possessed a starosty. [Poland]
Starosty <Xpage=1404>
Star"os*ty (?) , n. A castle and domain conferred on a nobleman for life. [Poland]
Brande & C.
Starproof <Xpage=1404>
Star"proof` (?) , a. Impervious to the light of the stars; as, a starproof elm . [Poetic]
Milton.
Star-read <Xpage=1404>
Star"-read` (?) , n. Doctrine or knowledge of the stars; star lore; astrology; astronomy. [Obs.]
Which in star-read were wont have best insight. Spenser.
Starred <Xpage=1404>
Starred (?) , a. [From Star .] 1. Adorned or studded with stars; bespangled.
2. Influenced in fortune by the stars. [Obs.]
My third comfort, Starred most unluckily. Shak.
Starriness <Xpage=1404>
Star"ri*ness (?) , n. The quality or state of being starry; as, the starriness of the heavens .
Starry <Xpage=1404>
Star"ry (?) , a. 1. Abounding with stars; adorned with stars. "Above the starry sky."
Pope.
2. Consisting of, or proceeding from, the stars; stellar; stellary; as, starry light; starry flame .
Do not Christians and Heathens, Jews and Gentiles, poets and philosophers, unite in allowing the starry influence? Sir W. Scott.
3. Shining like stars; sparkling; as, starry eyes .
4. Arranged in rays like those of a star; stellate.
Starry ray (Zo\'94l.) , a European skate ( Raita radiata ); -- so called from the stellate bases of the dorsal spines.
Starshine <Xpage=1404>
Star"shine` (?) , n. The light of the stars. [R.]
The starshine lights upon our heads. R. L. Stevenson.
Starshoot <Xpage=1404>
Star"shoot` (?) , n. See Nostoc .
Star-spangled <Xpage=1404>
Star"-span`gled (?) , a. Spangled or studded with stars.
Star-spangled banner , the popular name for the national ensign of the United States. F. S. Key.
Starstone <Xpage=1404>
Star"stone` (?) , n. (Min.) Asteriated sapphire.
Start <Xpage=1404>
Start (?) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. started ; p. pr. & vb. n. starting .] [OE. sterten ; akin to D. storten 8hurl, rush, fall, G. st\'81rzen , OHG. sturzen to turn over, to fall, Sw. st\'94ra to cast down, to fall, Dan. styrte , and probably also to E. start a tail; the original sense being, perhaps, to show the tail, to tumble over suddenly. \'fb166. Cf. Start a tail.] 1. To leap; to jump. [Obs.]
2. To move suddenly, as with a spring or leap, from surprise, pain, or other sudden feeling or emotion, or by a voluntary act.
And maketh him out of his sleep to start . Chaucer.
I start as from some dreadful dream. Dryden.
Keep your soul to the work when ready to start aside. I. Watts.
But if he start , It is the flesh of a corrupted heart. Shak.
3. To set out; to commence a course, as a race or journey; to begin; as, to start business .
At once they start , advancing in a line. Dryden.
At intervals some bird from out the brakes Starts into voice a moment, then is still. Byron.
4. To become somewhat displaced or loosened; as, a rivet or a seam may start under strain or pressure .
To start after , to set out after; to follow; to pursue. -- To start against , to act as a rival candidate against. -- To start for , to be a candidate for, as an office. -- To start up , to rise suddenly, as from a seat or couch; to come suddenly into notice or importance.
<page="1405"> Page 1405
Start <Xpage=1405>
Start (?) , v. t. 1. To cause to move suddenly; to disturb suddenly; to startle; to alarm; to rouse; to cause to flee or fly; as, the hounds started a fox .
Upon malicious bravery dost thou come To start my quiet? Shak.
Brutus will start a spirit as soon as C\'91sar. Shak.
2. To bring onto being or into view; to originate; to invent.
Sensual men agree in the pursuit of every pleasure they can start . Sir W. Temple.
3. To cause to move or act; to set going, running, or flowing; as, to start a railway train; to start a mill; to start a stream of water; to start a rumor; to start a business .
I was engaged in conversation upon a subject which the people love to start in discourse. Addison.
4. To move suddenly from its place or position; to displace or loosen; to dislocate; as, to start a bone; the storm started the bolts in the vessel .
One, by a fall in wrestling, started the end of the clavicle from the sternum. Wiseman.
5. [Perh. from D. storten , which has this meaning also.] (Naut.) To pour out; to empty; to tap and begin drawing from; as, to start a water cask .
Start <Xpage=1405>
Start , n. 1. The act of starting; a sudden spring, leap, or motion, caused by surprise, fear, pain, or the like; any sudden motion, or beginning of motion.
The fright awakened Arcite with a start . Dryden.
2. A convulsive motion, twitch, or spasm; a spasmodic effort.
For she did speak in starts distractedly. Shak.
Nature does nothing by starts and leaps, or in a hurry. L'Estrange.
3. A sudden, unexpected movement; a sudden and capricious impulse; a sally; as, starts of fancy .
To check the starts and sallies of the soul. Addison.
4. The beginning, as of a journey or a course of action; first motion from a place; act of setting out; the outset; -- opposed to finish .
The start of first performance is all. Bacon.
I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips, Straining upon the start . Shak.
At a start , at once; in an instant. [Obs.]
At a start he was betwixt them two. Chaucer.
To get , ∨ have , the start , to before another; to gain or have the advantage in a similar undertaking; -- usually with of . " Get the start of the majestic world." Shak . "She might have forsaken him if he had not got the start of her." Dryden .
Start <Xpage=1405>
Start , n. [OE. stert a tail, AS. steort ; akin to LG. stert , steert , D. staart , G. sterz , Icel. stertr , Dan. stiert , Sw. stjert . \'fb166. Cf. Stark naked , under Stark , Start , v. i. ] 1. A tail, or anything projecting like a tail.
2. The handle, or tail, of a plow; also, any long handle. [Prov. Eng.]
3. The curved or inclined front and bottom of a water-wheel bucket.
4. (Mining) The arm, or level, of a gin, drawn around by a horse.
Starter <Xpage=1405>
Start"er , n. 1. One who, or that which, starts; as, a starter on a journey; the starter of a race .
2. A dog that rouses game.
Startful <Xpage=1405>
Start"ful (?) , a. Apt to start; skittish. [R.]
Startfulness <Xpage=1405>
Start"ful*ness , n. Aptness to start. [R.]
Starthroat <Xpage=1405>
Star"throat` (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) Any humming bird of the genus Heliomaster . The feathers of the throat have a brilliant metallic luster.
Starting <Xpage=1405>
Start"ing (?) , a. & n. from Start , v.
Starting bar (Steam Eng.) , a hand lever for working the values in starting an engine. -- Starting hole , a loophole; evasion. [Obs.] -- Starting point , the point from which motion begins, or from which anything starts. -- Starting post , a post, stake, barrier, or place from which competitors in a race start, or begin the race.
Startingly <Xpage=1405>
Start"ing*ly , adv. By sudden fits or starts; spasmodically.
Shak.
Startish <Xpage=1405>
Start"ish , a. Apt to start; skittish; shy; -- said especially of a horse. [Colloq.]
Startle <Xpage=1405>
Star"tle (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Startled (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Startling (?) .] [Freq. of start .] To move suddenly, or be excited, on feeling alarm; to start.
Why shrinks the soul Back on herself, and startles at destruction? Addison.
Startle <Xpage=1405>