Adjacent Words

Starker definitions

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Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Stark 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[ae]rk, Icel. sterkr, Goth. gasta['u]rknan to become dried up, Lith. str["e]gti 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.