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Definition of stare verb from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

  

stare

 verb
verb
NAmE//stɛr//
 
[intransitive]Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they stare
 
he / she / it stares
 
past simple stared
 
-ing form staring
 
 
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  •  stare (at somebody/something) to look at someone or something for a long time I screamed and everyone stared. I stared blankly at the paper in front of me. They stared up at the hole in the ceiling. He sat staring into space (= looking at nothing). She looked at them with dark staring eyes.
    • Thesaurusstare
    • gaze
    • peer
    • glare
    These words all mean to look at someone or something for a long time.
    • stare to look at someone or something for a long time, especially with surprise or fear, or because you are thinking:I stared at the picture in shock.
    • gaze (somewhat formal) to look steadily at someone or something for a long time, especially with surprise or love, or because you are thinking:She gazed at Marco with affection.
    • peer to look closely or carefully at someone or something, especially when you cannot see them/it clearly:He peered at me over the top of his glasses.
    • glare to look angrily at someone or something for a long time:I looked at her and she glared back.
    Patterns
    • to stare/gaze/peer/glare at somebody/something
    • to stare/peer/glare suspiciously
    • to stare/peer anxiously/intently
    • to stare/glare wildly/fiercely
    Idioms
      be staring somebody in the face
       
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    1. 1to be obvious or easy to see The answer was staring us in the face.
    2. 2to be certain to happen Defeat was staring them in the face.
    be staring something in the face
     
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    to be unable to avoid something They were staring defeat in the face.     Phrasal Verbsstare down
    See stare in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
    Check pronunciation: stare

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