Starkest

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Stark \Stark\ (st[aum]rk), a. [Compar. {Starker} (-[~e]r);
     superl. {Starkest}.] [OE. stark stiff, strong, AS. stearc;
     akin to OS. starc strong, D. sterk, OHG. starc, starah, G. &
     Sw. stark, Dan. staerk, 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.
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              Whose senses all were straight benumbed and stark.
                                                    --Spenser.
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              His heart gan wax as stark as marble stone.
                                                    --Spenser.
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              Many a nobleman lies stark and stiff
              Under the hoofs of vaunting enemies.  --Shak.
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              The north is not so stark and cold.   --B. Jonson.
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     2. Complete; absolute; full; perfect; entire. [Obs.]
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              Consider the stark security
              The common wealth is in now.          --B. Jonson.
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     3. Strong; vigorous; powerful.
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              A stark, moss-trooping Scot.          --Sir W.
                                                    Scott.
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              Stark beer, boy, stout and strong beer. --Beau. &
                                                    Fl.
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     4. Severe; violent; fierce. [Obs.] "In starke stours" [i. e.,
        in fierce combats]. --Chaucer.
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     5. Mere; sheer; gross; entire; downright.
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              He pronounces the citation stark nonsense.
                                                    --Collier.
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              Rhetoric is very good or stark naught; there's no
              medium in rhetoric.                   --Selden.
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