Leer vs Stare - What's the difference?
leer | stare |
To look sideways or obliquely; now especially with sexual desire or malicious intent.
To entice with a leer or leers.
* (Dryden)
A significant side glance; a glance expressive of some passion, as malignity, amorousness, etc.; a sly or lecherous look.
An arch or affected glance or cast of countenance.
(obsolete) The cheek.
(obsolete) The face.
(obsolete) One's appearance; countenance.
* Shakespeare
(obsolete) Complexion; hue; blee; colour.
(obsolete) Flesh; skin.
The flank or loin.
Empty; unoccupied; clear.
Destitute; lacking; wanting.
Faint from lack of food; hungry.
Thin; faint.
Having no load or burden; free; without a rider.
Lacking sense or seriousness; trifling; frivolous.
To look fixedly (at something).
{{quote-Fanny Hill, part=2
, Her sturdy stallion had now unbutton'd, and produced naked, stiff, and erect, that wonderful machine, which I had never seen before, and which, for the interest my own seat of pleasure began to take furiously in it, I star'd at with all the eyes I had}}
*
*:A great bargain also had been the excellent Axminster carpet which covered the floor; as, again, the arm-chair in which Bunting now sat forward, staring into the dull, small fire. In fact, that arm-chair had been an extravagance of Mrs. Bunting. She had wanted her husband to be comfortable after the day's work was done, and she had paid thirty-seven shillings for the chair.
To be very conspicuous on account of size, prominence, colour, or brilliancy.
:staring windows or colours
(obsolete) To stand out; to project; to bristle.
*(William Shakespeare) (c.1564–1616)
*:Makest my blood cold, and my hair to stare .
*
*:Take off all the staring straws and jags in the hive.
In obsolete terms the difference between leer and stare
is that leer is flesh; skin while stare is a starling.As verbs the difference between leer and stare
is that leer is to look sideways or obliquely; now especially with sexual desire or malicious intent while stare is to look fixedly (at something).As nouns the difference between leer and stare
is that leer is a significant side glance; a glance expressive of some passion, as malignity, amorousness, etc.; a sly or lecherous look while stare is a persistent gaze.As an adjective leer
is empty; unoccupied; clear.leer
English
Etymology 1
Exact development uncertain, but apparently from *. See below.Verb
(en verb)- To gild a face with smiles; and leer a man to ruin.
Noun
(en noun)Etymology 2
From (etyl) ler, . More at (l), (l).Alternative forms
* (l), (l), (l)Noun
(en noun)- (Holinshed)
- a Rosalind of a better leer than you
Anagrams
* *Etymology 3
From (etyl) lere, from (etyl) . More at (l).Alternative forms
* (l)Adjective
(en adjective)- a leer stomach
- (Gifford)
- a leer horse
- (Ben Jonson)
- leer words
Etymology 4
From (etyl) leren, from (etyl) . Related to (etyl) {{m, ang, l?r, , lore, learning, science, art of teaching, preaching, doctrine, study, precept, exhortation, advice, instigation, history, story, cunning }}. See lore.Etymology 5
See (lehr)stare
English
(wikipedia stare)Etymology 1
From (etyl) . More at (l).Verb
(star)John Mortimer(1656?-1736)
