Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Language: Old English
Origin: starian

stare

1 verb
     
stare1 S3 W2 [intransitive]
1 to look at something or someone for a long time without moving your eyes, for example because you are surprised, angry, or bored
stare at
What are you staring at?
She sat there staring into space (=looking for a long time at nothing).
2

be staring somebody in the face

a) informal if something is staring you in the face, it is very clear or easy to notice but you have not noticed it:
The solution was staring me right in the face all along.
b) to seem impossible to avoid:
Defeat was staring us in the face.

➔ stark staring mad

at stark2 (2)

stare somebody out

phrasal verb
to look at someone for so long that they start to feel uncomfortable and look away
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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