stark
English
[edit]Pronunciation
[edit]- (General American) enPR: stärk, IPA(key): /stɑɹk/
- (Received Pronunciation) enPR: stärk, IPA(key): /stɑːk/
Audio (US): (file) - Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)k
- Homophone: stock (non-rhotic, father-bother merger)
Etymology 1
[edit]From Middle English stark, starc, from Old English stearc, starc (“stiff, rigid, unyielding, obstinate, hard, strong, severe, violent”), from Proto-West Germanic *stark, from Proto-Germanic *starkuz (“stiff, strong”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)terg- (“rigid, stiff”).
Cognate with Saterland Frisian sterc (“strong”), Dutch sterk (“strong”), Low German sterk (“strong”), German stark (“strong”), Danish stærk (“strong”), Swedish stark (“strong”), Norwegian sterk (“strong”), Icelandic sterkur (“strong”). Related to starch.
In the phrase stark naked: an alternation of Middle English stert naked, from stert (“tail”), a literal parallel to the modern butt naked.
Adjective
[edit]stark (comparative starker, superlative starkest)
- (obsolete) Hard, firm; obdurate.
- Severe; violent; fierce (now usually in describing the weather).
- 2013 May 11, “The climate of Tibet: Pole-land”, in The Economist[1], volume 407, number 8835, page 80:
- Of all the transitions brought about on the Earth’s surface by temperature change, the melting of ice into water is the starkest. It is binary. And for the land beneath, the air above and the life around, it changes everything.
- (poetic, literary or archaic) Strong; vigorous; powerful.
- c. 1622, John Fletcher, Philip Massinger [et al.?], “Beggars Bush”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, Act III, scene ii:
- Stark beer, boy, stout and strong beer.
- 1805, Walter Scott, “(please specify the page)”, in The Lay of the Last Minstrel: A Poem, London: […] [James Ballantyne] for Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, […], and A[rchibald] Constable and Co., […], →OCLC:
- a stark, moss-trooping Scot
- Stiff, rigid.
- 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 44:
- His heauie head, deuoide of carefull carke, / Whose sences all were straight benumbd and starke.
- c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii]:
- Many a nobleman lies stark and stiff / Under the hoofs of vaunting enemies.
- 1611, Ben[jamin] Jonson, Catiline His Conspiracy, London: […] [William Stansby?] for Walter Burre, →OCLC, (please specify the page):
- The north is not so stark and cold.
- Plain in appearance; barren, desolate.
- I picked my way forlornly through the stark, sharp rocks.
- Naked.
- 1817 December, Percy Bysshe Shelley, “The Revolt of Islam. […]”, in [Mary] Shelley, editor, The Poetical Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley. […], volume I, London: Edward Moxon […], published 1839, →OCLC, page 211:
- They bore me to a cavern in the hill
Beneath that column, and unbound me there;
And one did strip me stark; and one did fill
A vessel from the putrid pool; one bare
A lighted torch, and four with friendless care
Guided my steps the cavern-paths along […]
- Complete, absolute, full.
- I screamed in stark terror.
- A flower was growing, in stark contrast, out of the sidewalk.
- 1611, Ben[jamin] Jonson, Catiline His Conspiracy, London: […] [William Stansby?] for Walter Burre, →OCLC, (please specify the page):
- Consider, first, the stark security / The commonwealth is in now.
- 1689 (first published posthumously), John Selden, Table-Talk
- Rhetoric is very good or stark naught; there's no medium in rhetoric.
- 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, chapter 17, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC:
- Ramadans, and prolonged ham-squattings in cold, cheerless rooms were stark nonsense
Derived terms
[edit]Translations
[edit]
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Adverb
[edit]stark (not comparable)
- starkly; entirely, absolutely
- He's gone stark, staring mad.
- She was just standing there, stark naked.
- 1655, Thomas Fuller, The Church-history of Britain; […], London: […] Iohn Williams […], →OCLC:
- […] held him strangled in his arms till he was stark dead.
- 1913, Robert Barr, chapter 4, in Lord Stranleigh Abroad[2]:
- “… That woman is stark mad, Lord Stranleigh. Her own father recognised it when he bereft her of all power in the great business he founded. …”
Usage notes
[edit]In standard modern English, the adverb is essentially restricted to stark naked and phrases meaning "crazy" on the pattern of stark raving mad.
Derived terms
[edit]Translations
[edit]Etymology 2
[edit]From Middle English starken, from Old English stearcian (“to stiffen, become hard, grow stiff or hard”), from Proto-Germanic *starkōną, *starkēną (“to stiffen, become hard”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)terg- (“rigid, stiff”). Cognate with German erstarken (“to strengthen”).
Verb
[edit]stark (third-person singular simple present starks, present participle starking, simple past and past participle starked)
Related terms
[edit]Anagrams
[edit]German
[edit]Etymology
[edit]From Middle High German stark, from Old High German stark, from Proto-West Germanic *stark.
Pronunciation
[edit]- IPA(key): /ʃtark/, [ʃtaʁk], [ʃtaɐ̯k], [ʃtaːk]
Audio: (file) Audio: (file) Audio (Austria): (file) - Homophone: stak (some speakers)
Adjective
[edit]stark (strong nominative masculine singular starker, comparative stärker, superlative am stärksten)
- strong (intense, powerful, unyielding)
- strong (having a high concentration of some ingredient, e.g. alcohol)
- (of an action, especially sports) good, great, skilled
- (colloquial, slightly dated) brilliant, awesome
- (colloquial, dated) incredible, unbelievable
- ein starkes Stück ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)
- starker Tobak ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)
- 1924, Thomas Mann, Der Zauberberg [The Magic Mountain], volume 1, Berlin: S. Fischer, page 69:
- Nun, es sind Eheleute, in Gottes Namen, soweit ist die Sache in Ordnung. Aber am hellen Morgen, das ist doch stark.
- (please add an English translation of this quotation)
- (dated, euphemistic) overweight, fat
- (grammar) strong (inflecting according to a pattern distinct from another called "weak")
Declension
[edit]number & gender | singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | feminine | neuter | |||
predicative | er ist stark | sie ist stark | es ist stark | sie sind stark | |
strong declension (without article) |
nominative | starker | starke | starkes | starke |
genitive | starken | starker | starken | starker | |
dative | starkem | starker | starkem | starken | |
accusative | starken | starke | starkes | starke | |
weak declension (with definite article) |
nominative | der starke | die starke | das starke | die starken |
genitive | des starken | der starken | des starken | der starken | |
dative | dem starken | der starken | dem starken | den starken | |
accusative | den starken | die starke | das starke | die starken | |
mixed declension (with indefinite article) |
nominative | ein starker | eine starke | ein starkes | (keine) starken |
genitive | eines starken | einer starken | eines starken | (keiner) starken | |
dative | einem starken | einer starken | einem starken | (keinen) starken | |
accusative | einen starken | eine starke | ein starkes | (keine) starken |
number & gender | singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | feminine | neuter | |||
predicative | er ist stärker | sie ist stärker | es ist stärker | sie sind stärker | |
strong declension (without article) |
nominative | stärkerer | stärkere | stärkeres | stärkere |
genitive | stärkeren | stärkerer | stärkeren | stärkerer | |
dative | stärkerem | stärkerer | stärkerem | stärkeren | |
accusative | stärkeren | stärkere | stärkeres | stärkere | |
weak declension (with definite article) |
nominative | der stärkere | die stärkere | das stärkere | die stärkeren |
genitive | des stärkeren | der stärkeren | des stärkeren | der stärkeren | |
dative | dem stärkeren | der stärkeren | dem stärkeren | den stärkeren | |
accusative | den stärkeren | die stärkere | das stärkere | die stärkeren | |
mixed declension (with indefinite article) |
nominative | ein stärkerer | eine stärkere | ein stärkeres | (keine) stärkeren |
genitive | eines stärkeren | einer stärkeren | eines stärkeren | (keiner) stärkeren | |
dative | einem stärkeren | einer stärkeren | einem stärkeren | (keinen) stärkeren | |
accusative | einen stärkeren | eine stärkere | ein stärkeres | (keine) stärkeren |
Derived terms
[edit]Further reading
[edit]- “stark” in Duden online
- “stark” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
- Friedrich Kluge (1883) “stark”, in John Francis Davis, transl., Etymological Dictionary of the German Language, published 1891
Kashubian
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Inherited from Proto-Slavic *starъ + -k.
Pronunciation
[edit]Noun
[edit]stark m pers (female equivalent starka)
Declension
[edit]Further reading
[edit]- Eùgeniusz Gòłąbk (2011) “dziadek”, in Słownik Polsko-Kaszubski / Słowôrz Pòlskò-Kaszëbsczi[3]
- “stark”, in Internetowi Słowôrz Kaszëbsczégò Jãzëka [Internet Dictionary of the Kashubian Language], Fundacja Kaszuby, 2022
Low German
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Cognate with German stark, Dutch sterk.
Pronunciation
[edit]Adjective
[edit]stark (comparative starker, superlative starkst)
Declension
[edit]gender | singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | feminine | neuter | all genders | ||
predicative | he is stark | se is stark | dat is stark | se sünd stark | |
partitive | een Starks | een Starks | wat Starks | allens Stark | |
strong declension (without article) |
nominative | starke | starke | stark | starke |
oblique | starken | starke | stark | starke | |
weak declension (with definite article) |
nominative | de starke | de starke | dat starke | de starken |
oblique | den starken | de starke | dat starke | de starken | |
mixed declension (with indefinite article) |
nominative | en starke/starken | en starke | en stark/starket | (keen) starken |
oblique | en starken | en starke | en stark/starket | (keen) starken |
gender | singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | feminine | neuter | all genders | ||
predicative | he is starker | se is starker | dat is starker | se sünd starker | |
partitive | een starkers | een starkers | wat starkers | allens starker | |
strong declension (without article) |
nominative | starkere | starkere | starker | starkere |
oblique | starkern | starkere | starker | starkere | |
weak declension (with definite article) |
nominative | de starkere | de starkere | dat starkere | de starkern |
oblique | den starkern | de starkere | dat starkere | de starkern | |
mixed declension (with indefinite article) |
nominative | en starkere/starkeren | en starkere | en starker | (keen) starkern |
oblique | en starkern | en starkere | en starker | (keen) starkern |
gender | singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | feminine | neuter | all genders | ||
predicative | he is de Starkste | se is de Starkste | dat is dat Starkste | se sünd de Starksten | |
strong declension (without article) |
nominative | starkste | starkste | starkst | starkste |
oblique | starksten | starkste | starkst | starkste | |
weak declension (with definite article) |
nominative | de starkste | de starkste | dat starkste | de starksten |
oblique | den starksten | de starkste | dat starkste | de starksten | |
mixed declension (with indefinite article) |
nominative | en starkste/starksten | en starkste | en starkst | (keen) starksten |
oblique | en starksten | en starkste | en starkst | (keen) starksten |
Synonyms
[edit]Derived terms
[edit]Old High German
[edit]Etymology
[edit]From Proto-Germanic *starkuz, whence also Old English stearc, Old Norse sterkr.
Adjective
[edit]stark
Derived terms
[edit]Descendants
[edit]Slovene
[edit]Noun
[edit]stark
Swedish
[edit]Etymology
[edit]From Old Swedish starker, from Old Norse starkr, from Proto-Germanic *starkuz, from Proto-Indo-European *sterg-.
Pronunciation
[edit]Audio: (file)
Adjective
[edit]stark (comparative starkare, superlative starkast)
- strong; able to use great force
- starka muskler
- strong muscles
- strong; capable of withstanding great (physical) force
- strong; highly stimulating to the senses
- starkt ljus
- bright light
- (of food) spicy, hot
- Nisses chili con carne är för stark för mig
- Nisse's chili con carne is too spicy for me
- världens starkaste chilipeppar
- the world's hottest chili pepper
- strong; having a high concentration of an essential; possibly alcohol
- starkt kaffe
- strong coffee
- (grammar) strong
- (military) strong; not easily subdued or taken
Declension
[edit]Inflection of stark | |||
---|---|---|---|
Indefinite | Positive | Comparative | Superlative2 |
Common singular | stark | starkare | starkast |
Neuter singular | starkt | starkare | starkast |
Plural | starka | starkare | starkast |
Masculine plural3 | starke | starkare | starkast |
Definite | Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
Masculine singular1 | starke | starkare | starkaste |
All | starka | starkare | starkaste |
1) Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine. 2) The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative. 3) Dated or archaic |
Synonyms
[edit]- (able to use great force): kraftfull
- (capable of withstanding force): stadig
- (spicy): het
- (having intense odor or flavor): frän, skarp, stickande
Related terms
[edit]See also
[edit]References
[edit]- stark in Svensk ordbok (SO)
- stark in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
- stark in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)
Anagrams
[edit]- English 1-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio links
- Rhymes:English/ɑː(ɹ)k
- Rhymes:English/ɑː(ɹ)k/1 syllable
- English terms with homophones
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms inherited from Old English
- English terms derived from Old English
- English terms inherited from Proto-West Germanic
- English terms derived from Proto-West Germanic
- English terms inherited from Proto-Germanic
- English terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- English lemmas
- English adjectives
- English terms with obsolete senses
- English terms with quotations
- English poetic terms
- English literary terms
- English terms with archaic senses
- English terms with usage examples
- English adverbs
- English uncomparable adverbs
- English verbs
- English dialectal terms
- German terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- German terms inherited from Proto-Germanic
- German terms inherited from Middle High German
- German terms derived from Middle High German
- German terms inherited from Old High German
- German terms derived from Old High German
- German terms inherited from Proto-West Germanic
- German terms derived from Proto-West Germanic
- German 1-syllable words
- German terms with IPA pronunciation
- German terms with audio links
- German terms with homophones
- German lemmas
- German adjectives
- de:Sports
- German colloquialisms
- German dated terms
- German terms with usage examples
- German terms with quotations
- German euphemisms
- de:Grammar
- Kashubian terms inherited from Proto-Slavic
- Kashubian terms derived from Proto-Slavic
- Kashubian terms suffixed with -k
- Kashubian terms with IPA pronunciation
- Rhymes:Kashubian/ark
- Rhymes:Kashubian/ark/1 syllable
- Kashubian lemmas
- Kashubian nouns
- Kashubian masculine nouns
- Kashubian personal nouns
- csb:Male family members
- Low German terms with IPA pronunciation
- Low German lemmas
- Low German adjectives
- Old High German terms inherited from Proto-Germanic
- Old High German terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- Old High German lemmas
- Old High German adjectives
- Slovene non-lemma forms
- Slovene noun forms
- Swedish terms inherited from Old Swedish
- Swedish terms derived from Old Swedish
- Swedish terms inherited from Old Norse
- Swedish terms derived from Old Norse
- Swedish terms inherited from Proto-Germanic
- Swedish terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- Swedish terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- Swedish terms with audio links
- Swedish lemmas
- Swedish adjectives
- Swedish terms with usage examples
- sv:Grammar
- sv:Military
- sv:Taste