Starchlike
noun
1.
a white, tasteless, solid carbohydrate, (C 6 H 1 0 O 5 ) n , occurring in the form of minute granules in the seeds, tubers, and other parts of plants, and forming an important constituent of rice, corn, wheat, beans, potatoes, and many other vegetable foods.
2.
a commercial preparation of this substance used to stiffen textile fabrics in laundering.
3.
starches, foods rich in natural starch.
4.
stiffness or formality, as of manner: He is so full of starch he can't relax.
5.
Informal. vigor; energy; stamina; boldness.
verb (used with object)
6.
to stiffen or treat with starch.
7.
to make stiff or rigidly formal (sometimes followed by up ).
00:10
Starchlike
is always a great word to know.
So is quincunx. Does it mean:
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
Origin:
1375–1425; (v.) late Middle English sterchen orig., to stiffen, Old English stercean to make stiff, strengthen, derivative of stearc stark; cognate with German stärken to strengthen; (noun) late Middle English starch(e), sterche, derivative of the v.
1375–1425; (v.) late Middle English sterchen orig., to stiffen, Old English stercean to make stiff, strengthen, derivative of stearc stark; cognate with German stärken to strengthen; (noun) late Middle English starch(e), sterche, derivative of the v.
Related forms
starch·less, adjective
starch·like, adjective
o·ver·starch, verb (used with object)
o·ver·starched, adjective
un·starched, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To starchlike
Collins
World English Dictionary
starch (stɑːtʃ) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | a polysaccharide composed of glucose units that occurs widely in plant tissues in the form of storage granules, consisting of amylose and amylopectinRelated: amylaceous |
| 2. | Also called: amylum a starch obtained from potatoes and some grain: it is fine white powder that forms a translucent viscous solution on boiling with water and is used to stiffen fabric and in many industrial processes |
| 3. | any food containing a large amount of starch, such as rice and potatoes |
| 4. | stiff or pompous formality of manner or conduct |
| —vb | |
| 5. | (tr) to stiffen with or soak in starch |
| —adj | |
| 6. | (of a person) formal; stiff |
| Related: amylaceous | |
| [Old English stercan (unattested except by the past participle sterced) to stiffen; related to Old Saxon sterkian, Old High German sterken to strengthen, Dutch sterken; see | |
| 'starcher | |
| —n | |
| 'starchlike | |
| —adj | |
| starch (stɑːtʃ) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | a polysaccharide composed of glucose units that occurs widely in plant tissues in the form of storage granules, consisting of amylose and amylopectinRelated: amylaceous |
| 2. | Also called: amylum a starch obtained from potatoes and some grain: it is fine white powder that forms a translucent viscous solution on boiling with water and is used to stiffen fabric and in many industrial processes |
| 3. | any food containing a large amount of starch, such as rice and potatoes |
| 4. | stiff or pompous formality of manner or conduct |
| —vb | |
| 5. | (tr) to stiffen with or soak in starch |
| —adj | |
| 6. | (of a person) formal; stiff |
| Related: amylaceous | |
| [Old English stercan (unattested except by the past participle sterced) to stiffen; related to Old Saxon sterkian, Old High German sterken to strengthen, Dutch sterken; see | |
| 'starcher | |
| —n | |
| 'starchlike | |
| —adj | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
starch
1402, from O.E. *stercan (Mercian), *stiercan (W.Saxon) "make rigid," found in stercedferhð "fixed, hard, resolute" (related to stearc "stiff"), from P.Gmc. *starkijanan (cf. Ger. Stärke "strength, starch"), from PIE base *ster- "strong, firm, stiff, rigid" (see
stark). The noun meaning "pasty substance used to stiffen cloth" is first recorded c.1440, from the verb. Fig. sense of "stiffness of manner" is recorded from 1705.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
starch (stärch)
n.
A naturally abundant nutrient carbohydrate found chiefly in the seeds, fruits, tubers, roots, and stem pith of plants, and commonly prepared as a white, amorphous, tasteless powder used in powders, ointments, and pastes. Also called amylum.
A food having a high content of starch, such as rice, bread, and potatoes.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Science Dictionary
starch  (stärch) Pronunciation Key
|
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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