Middle English Dictionary Entry
stāren v.
Entry Info
| Forms | stāren v. Also star(r)e; sg. 3 stareth, etc. & stariȝt, (early) staret; ppl. staring(e, etc. & (early SW) starinde & (?error) sterind; p. stared(e, stard; pl. stared(en, (NWM) staired & (early SWM) steareden. |
| Etymology | OE starian; p.pl. form staired may belong to ME steiren v. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To look fixedly; stare; also in proverbs; ~ abouten; ~ with eie(n; ~ abouten nought, to look about fruitlessly; (b) with prep. phrases: ~ abouten, to look around (oneself); ~ after, look fixedly or intently at (sth.); also, look intently for (sb.) [quot.: c1400(c1378)]; ~ ayen, look at (sth.); ~ in, look at (sth.), gaze intently into; ~ in-to (to), look fixedly at (sth.); ~ on (upon), look at (sb. or sth.); also, read (a story) [last quot.].
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)798 : Þeos soulene..bileueth þat bodi in foule heowe, þe eiȝene stareInde, And þe mouth of foul semblaunt.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)176 : Homme doile guenyle: M. with ee starith.
- c1390 Whon Men beoþ (Vrn)53 : Þis wrecched world nis but a wynde, Ne non so stif to stunte ne stare.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.1420 : If that youre eyen kan nat seen aright, Looke that youre mynde lakke noght his sight, For thogh ye looke neuere so brode and stare, Ye shul no thyng wynne on that chaffare.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)11.4 : Sterneliche staringe dame studie seide, [etc.].
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.3058 : He stareth brode, but he may nat se; His inward loke was with a cloude shent.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.1119 : Thus byjaped stonden for to stare Aboute naught this Troilus and Pandare.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)472 : Staryn, wythe brode eyne: Patentibus oculis respicere.
- a1450(a1387) PPl.A(2) (RwlPoet 137)12.61 : I stode stille in a stodie and stared abowte.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)120/50 : Whatt garres yow stare þus sturdely?
- c1450 In my ȝowþe (Lamb 853)77 : Summe staren broode & moun not se.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.86 : Þe preist..knelyȝt, he staryȝt, he lokyȝt on his book.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)179/427 : I stud and I stard, no pyte to hang them had I.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)7730 : He lokyd vp steype starande.
- a1500 Ther ben iij poyntis (Tan 407)29 : Summe stare brode and may not se.
- 1591(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hnt HM 2)119/589 : Abowt the house alsoe mevinge there a man on horse -- stoode men to steare -- and in his hand hee bare a spere.
b
- c1330(?c1300) Bevis (Auch)38/785 : Þe bor..rerde is brosteles wel an hiȝ and starede on Beues wiþ eien holwe.
- 1372 In bedlem is (Adv 18.7.21)41 : Þei stoden & stareden after þe sterre.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Sh.(Manly-Rickert)B.1314 : This monk bigan vp on this wyf to stare.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Th.(Manly-Rickert)B.1887 : Euere vp on the ground I se thee stare.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.178 : Whanne I mai upon hire stare, Hire wommanhede, hire gentilesse, Myn herte is full of..gladnesse.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)8898 : Whan ȝe at Goddes seruyse are, Ȝe shul nat þan aboute ȝow stare.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)16.168 : I awaked..And after piers þe plowman pryed and stared.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)389 : Summe styȝe to a stud and stared to þe heven.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)787 : Loot..stared into þe strete þer stout men played.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.2833 : Þe vekke to stare vp-on þe mone Is walked out.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3503 : Þe peple cam to staren and to gase Vp-on þe Ram, as it were a mase; Þei loke & wondre & deme what hem liste.
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)8/67 : Sum was knokked on þe heuyd Þat þe body þare bileuid; Sum lay stareand on þe sternes.
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)105/7 : Men schuld lift up here hertes vnto God, as fast þei stare in þe sterres as þei wolde be abouen þe mone.
- a1450(?c1430) Lydg.DM(1) (Hnt EL 26.A.13)418 : Maister of phisik whiche in ȝowre vryne So loke and gase & stare a-ȝenne the sunne.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)263 : He in his sege lened, In stody still as a stane, & starid in hire face.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)11239 : Ely stud styll on þem to stare.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.138 : Þey..staryn so aȝens þe sterrys and lokyn after þe planetys.
- a1500 MSerm.Mol.(Adv 19.3.1)84 : God luffus nodur hors nor mare, but mere men that in the cuppe con stare.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)5551 : Wo so staris on þis story or stodis þerin, Take hede.
2.
To be wide-eyed with madness, astonishment, etc.; ~ with eien; ~ on, look at (sb.) with an expression of madness, astonishment, rage, etc.; ~ upon, stare wildly at (sb.); ppl. staringe, looking wide-eyed; staringe wod, stark mad.
Associated quotations
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)77 : Þu starest so þu wille abiten Al þat þu mist mid cliure smiten.
- a1275 Þene latemeste dai (Trin-C B.14.39)85 : He gonet wid is mouþe & staret wid is eyen, Of is neoseþurlis comet starke leyen.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)508 : Þoucte he, als he him bi stod, Starinde als he were wod.
- c1330(?a1300) Guy(2) (Auch)p.532 : Þe douk Berard..Stared on Gij as he wer wode.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)880 : Witerly he couþe no word long þer-after spek, but stared on here stifly, a-stoneyd for ioye.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.1832 : He gan to fare Into the field and loke and stare, As he which feigneth to be wod.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)13557 : Quen men him sagh þat kneu him are, Fast þai can on him to stare.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)7426 : Þei salle ilk ane on other stare and gryn, Als wode men dose here.
- a1425(?a1400) Cloud (Hrl 674)98/17 : Bot ȝif God schewe his merciful miracle to make hem sone leue of, þei schul loue God so longe on þis maner þat þei schul go staryng wood to þe deuil.
- a1450(a1400) Titus & V.(Add 36523)1905 : Pilate starede as he were wode Upon Velocian.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)488/253 : Ya, Thomas, vnstedfaste, full staring þou stode.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)2.8 : Some stode astonyed and stared for drede.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)739 : Wyll: Haue þey a brybe, haue þey no care Wo hath wronge or ryght. Mynde: They fors not to swere and starre [rime: mare, hare].
- a1500(a1450) Ashmole SSecr.(Ashm 396)100/20 : Open eyen sheweth a man vayne..Staryng eyen, shynyng and lightly intendyng, as tham þat be contumacied and askyng grace, it sheweth.
- a1500 What why (BodPoet e.1)4 : A man þat wedyth a wyfe whan he wynkyth, But he star afterward, wonder me thynkyth!
3.
To shine, gleam, glitter, etc. [2nd quot. may belong to steiren v.]; ppl. staringe, glittering, shining; also, brightly colored, ostentatious.
Associated quotations
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)20/25 : His twa ehnen steareden steappre þen þe steoren & ten ȝimstanes.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1396 : Stepe stayred stones of his stoute throne.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1818 : Ho raȝt hym a riche rynk..Wyth a starande ston stondande alofte.
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)37/8 : Miche peple demen it a medeful werke to iape mennes iȝen wiþ..manye veyn staring siȝtis in her chirchis.
- a1425 Dial.Reason & A.(Cmb Ii.6.39)31/10 : Sum tyme þe mone starith brode, sum tyme it lokith narwe.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)9/17 : Hir clokys also wer daggyd & leyd wyth dyuers colowrs be-twen þe daggys, þat it schuld be þe mor staryng to mennys sygth.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)472 : Staryn or schynyn, and glyderyn: Niteo, rutilo.
- a1450(1424) Ordin.Whittington116 : We ordeyne that the Overclothing of the Tutor and pouer folk of the seid Almeshouse be derk and broune of Colour and not staring ne blasing.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2880 : He..Strad up him-selfe on a stede, in starand wedis.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3796 : As ai stremand sternes stared all þare wedis.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5385 : Scho kende him a croun clustrid with gemmes..Sterind [?read: Sterand] & stiȝt full of stanes.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)7349 : The derk entrid, The sternes full stithly starond o lofte.
- c1600(?c1395) PPl.Creed (Trin-C R.3.15)553 : Þei..launceþ heiȝe her hemmes..Þei ben y-sewed wiþ whiȝt silk & semes full queynte, Y-stongen wiþ stiches þat stareþ as siluer.