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stare down

 - 4 dictionary results

stare

  [stair] ,verb, stared, star⋅ing, noun
Use stare down in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
1. to gaze fixedly and intently, esp. with the eyes wide open.
2. to be boldly or obtrusively conspicuous: The bright modern painting stares out at you in the otherwise conservative gallery.
3. (of hair, feathers, etc.) to stand on end; bristle.
–verb (used with object)
4. to stare at: to stare a person up and down.
5. to effect or have a certain effect on by staring: to stare one out of countenance.
–noun
6. a staring gaze; a fixed look with the eyes wide open: The banker greeted him with a glassy stare.
—Verb phrase
7. stare down, to cause to become uncomfortable by gazing steadily at one; overcome by staring: A nonsmoker at the next table tried to stare me down.
—Idiom
8. stare one in the face, to be urgent or impending; confront: The income-tax deadline is staring us in the face.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME staren, OE starian; c. D staren, G starren, ON stara; akin to stark, starve

Related forms:
starer, noun
star⋅ing⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
1. See gaze.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To stare down
stare   (stâr)   
v.   stared, star·ing, stares

v.   intr.

  1. To look directly and fixedly, often with a wide-eyed gaze. See Synonyms at gaze.

  2. To be conspicuous; stand out.

  3. To stand on end; bristle, as hair or feathers.

v.   tr.
To look at directly and fixedly: stared him in the eyes.
n.  An intent gaze.
Phrasal Verb(s):
stare downTo cause to waver or give in by or as if by staring.

Idiom(s):
stare (one) in the face

  1. To be plainly visible or obvious; force itself on (one's) attention: The money on the table was staring her in the face.

  2. To be obvious though initially overlooked: The explanation had been staring him in the face all along.

  3. To be imminent or unavoidable: Bankruptcy now stares us in the face.


[Middle English staren, from Old English starian; see ster-1 in Indo-European roots.]
star'er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

stare  (v.)
O.E. starian "to look fixedly at," from P.Gmc. *star- "be rigid" (cf. O.N. stara, M.L.G., M.Du. staren, O.H.G. staren, Ger. starren "to stare at;" Ger. starren "to stiffen," starr "stiff;" O.N. storr "proud;" O.H.G. storren "to stand out, project;" Goth. andstaurran "to be obstinate"), from PIE base *ster- "strong, firm, stiff, rigid" (cf. Lith. storas "thick," stregti "to become frozen;" Skt. sthirah "hard, firm;" Pers. suturg "strong;" O.C.S. staru "old;" cf. sterile and torpor). Not originally implying rudeness.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Idioms & Phrases

stare down

Cause someone to waver or give in by or as if by being stared at. For example, Insisting on a better room, he stared down the manager until he got it. This expression alludes to staring at someone without being the first to blink or lower one's gaze. [Mid-1800s]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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