overstare

English

Etymology

From over- +‎ stare.

Verb

overstare (third-person singular simple present overstares, present participle overstaring, simple past and past participle overstared)

1. (obsolete) To stare wildly.
   • a. 1569 (date written), Roger Ascham, edited by Margaret Ascham, The Scholemaster: Or Plaine and Perfite Way of Teaching Children, to Vnderstand, Write, and Speake, the Latin Tong, […], London: […] John Daye, […], published 1570, →OCLC:

     an overstaring frounced head

2. (obsolete) To outstare.
   • c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]:

     I would o'erstare the sternest eyes that look

References

• “overstare”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

Anagrams

• over rates, overrates