Definition

1. Adjective:
   • (Of eyes) open wide and fixed in a particular direction, often due to strong emotion: Describing eyes that are wide open and not moving, typically showing fear, surprise, or intense concentration.
   • Complete, utter, absolute (informal, often used as an intensifier): Used before a noun to emphasize its extreme or negative quality. This usage is informal and can be pejorative.

Usage and Examples

• As an adjective describing eyes:

  • She gave him a staring look of disbelief. (Her eyes were wide open and fixed, showing she could not believe what she was seeing.)
  • The staring eyes of the portrait seemed to follow me around the room. (The eyes in the painting were painted to look wide open and fixed, creating an eerie feeling.)

• As an informal intensifier (meaning "complete" or "utter"):

  • It was staring madness to go out in that storm. (It was complete madness; a very foolish thing to do.)
  • He's a staring idiot for making that mistake. (He is a complete idiot; used to strongly emphasize foolishness.)

Advanced Usage and Notes

• The use of "staring" as an intensifier (e.g., "staring madness") is now considered old-fashioned or literary in modern English. The more common modern intensifiers with similar force are "utter," "complete," or "absolute."
• When describing eyes, "staring" often carries a negative connotation, suggesting something unsettling, intense, or unnatural. It is different from simply "looking."
  • He sat in staring silence, unable to speak. (He was silent with his eyes wide open and fixed, likely in shock.)

Variants and Related Words

• Stare (verb): To look fixedly or vacantly at someone or something with eyes wide open.
  • Don't stare at people; it's rude.
• Stare (noun): A long fixed look.
  • She gave him an icy stare.

Synonyms

• For eyes: Gazing, gawking, gaping.
• As an intensifier: Utter, complete, absolute, total, sheer, unadulterated.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• Staring someone in the face: To be obvious or impossible to avoid.
  • The answer was staring him in the face, but he couldn't see it. (The answer was completely obvious.)
• Staring into space: Looking vacantly ahead without focusing on anything.
  • After the news, he just sat there staring into space.

Adjective

1. without qualification; used informally as (often pejorative) intensifiers
   • an arrant fool
   • a complete coward
   • a consummate fool
   • a double-dyed villain
   • gross negligence
   • a perfect idiot
   • pure folly
   • what a sodding mess
   • stark staring mad
   • a thoroughgoing villain
   • utter nonsense
   • the unadulterated truth
2. (used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
   • staring eyes