stare (redirected from stares)

give someone a blank look and give someone a blank stare

to look back at someone with a neutral look on one's face. After I told her to stop smoking, she just gave me a blank look and kept puffing.

See also: blank, give, look

look someone in the face and look someone in the eye; stare someone in the face

Fig. to face someone directly. (Facing someone this way is a sign of sincerity.) I don't believe you. Look me in the eye and say that, She looked him in the face and said she never wanted to see him again.

See also: face, look

stare someone down

to pressure someone to capitulate, back down, or yield by staring. Don't try to stare me down. I have nerves of steel. I tried to stare down my opponent, but it didn't work.

stare someone in the face 

1. Go to look someone in the face.

2. [for evidence] to confront someone directly. (Fig. on stare someone in the face; look someone in the face.) Finally, the truth stared me in the face, and I had to admit to myself what had really happened. When the facts in the case stared the jury in the face, there was nothing they could do but acquit.

See also: face

stare at someone or something

to look fixedly at someone or something. Why are you staring at me? I was staring at the scenery behind you.

stare into something

to gaze fixedly into something. she just sat there, staring into space. Tom stared into the water, hoping to see a fish or maybe a turtle.

stare out at someone or something 

1. to be in a place staring outward at someone or something. I stayed in my little room and stared out at the others having fun in the crisp fall air. We stared out at the deep snow.

2. [for a face or eyes visible in a place] to be seen staring outward from that place. Two bright little cat eyes stared out at me from the basket. Her faced stared out of the tiny window.

See also: out

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be staring somebody in the face 

1. if a solution to a problem is staring you in the face, it is very obvious We spent ages wondering how we could make more space in the shop and the answer was staring us in the face all the time.

2. if an unpleasant experience is staring you in the face, it is very likely to happen to you With only one day's supply of water left, death was staring him in the face.

See also: face

be stark raving mad  (British, American & Australian) also be stark staring mad (British)

to be completely crazy She looked at me as though she thought I was stark raving mad.

See also: mad, raving, stark

look somebody in the face

to look directly at someone without fear or shame I don't know how you can look your sister in the face after what you've done.

See also: face, look

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stare something in the face

to deal with something directly We have stared hatred and prejudice in the face and seen what they can do.

See also: face

stare you in the face

to be obvious The answer to this problem was staring him in the face, although at first he couldn't see it.

See also: face