GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

Found 3 definitions

1.       
   Stark (stärk), a. [Compar. Starker (-ẽr); 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. gastaúrknan to become dried up, Lith. strëgti 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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2.       
   Stark (stärk), adv. Wholly; entirely; absolutely; quite; as, “stark mad”.  Shak.
   
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   Held him strangled in his arms till he was stark dead. Fuller.
   
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   Stark naked, wholly naked; quite bare.
   
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   Strip your sword stark naked. Shak.
   
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   ☞ According to Professor Skeat, “stark-naked” is derived from steort-naked, or start-naked, literally tail-naked, and hence wholly naked. If this etymology be true the preferable form is stark-naked.
   
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3.       
   Stark, v. t. To stiffen. [R.]
   
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   If horror have not starked your limbs. H. Taylor.
   
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