Stars

star  (stär)

n.

1.

a. A self-luminous celestial body consisting of a mass of gas held together by its own gravity in which the energy generated by nuclear reactions in the interior is balanced by the outflow of energy to the surface, and the inward-directed gravitational forces are balanced by the outward-directed gas and radiation pressures.

b. Any of the celestial bodies visible at night from Earth as relatively stationary, usually twinkling points of light.

c. Something regarded as resembling such a celestial body.

2. A graphic design having five or more radiating points, often used as a symbol of rank or merit.

3.

a. An artistic performer or athlete whose leading role or superior performance is acknowledged.

b. One who is highly celebrated in a field or profession.

4.

a. An asterisk (*).

b. The star key on a telephone: For customer service, press star.

5. A white spot on the forehead of a horse.

6. A planet or constellation of the zodiac believed in astrology to influence personal destiny.

7. stars The future; destiny. Often used with the.

adj.

1. Outstanding or famous, especially in performing something: a star researcher; a star figure skater.

2. Of or relating to a star or stars.

v. starred, star·ring, stars

v.tr.

1.

a. To ornament with stars.

b. To award or mark with a star for excellence.

2. To mark with an asterisk.

3. To present or feature (a performer) in a leading role.

v.intr.

1. To play the leading role in a theatrical or film production.

2. To do an outstanding job; perform excellently.

Idioms:

have stars in (one's) eyes

To be dazzled or enraptured, as with romantic love.

see stars

To experience bright, flashing sensations, as from a blow to the head.

---

[Middle English sterre, from Old English steorra; see ster-³ in Indo-European roots.]

---

Stars 

1. The dipper burned like a strand of diamonds on a sable cloak —Joseph Wambaugh
2. The divisions between the rings [of Saturn] are furrows in which the satellites rotate … like sheepdogs running around the flock to keep it compact —Italo Calvino
3. The evening star flickered like a lamp just lit —Willa Cather
4. In the dark vault of the sky, the stars hung like muted dots of leaden silver —Heinrich Böll

   This lovely simile is the first sentence of Böll’s short story, The Ration Runners.

5. Jupiter displays two equatorial stripes like a scarf decorated with interwoven embroideries —Italo Calvino
6. A lovely star … large as the full moon —Jaroslav Seifert
7. The Milky Way stands out so clearly that it looks as if it had been polished and rubbed over for the holidays —Anton Chekhov
8. A star as bright as day —Anon Christmas ballad, probably dating to Middle Ages
9. Starlight fell like rain —F. Scott Fitzgerald
10. Stars are dropping thick as stones —Sylvia Plath
11. (Tonight) the stars are like a crowd of faces moving round the sky —Wallace Stevens
12. The stars burned steadily, like the lights of far-off ships —Marjory Stoneman Douglas
13. The stars clung like snow crystals in the black sky —Ross Macdonald
14. Stars … cold, like pieces of ice —Paige Mitchell
15. Stars … dissolved like bubbles —Katherine Mansfield

    The simile in full context: “In the sky some tiny stars floated for a moment and then they were gone —they were dissolved like bubbles.”

    See Also: DISINTEGRATION

16. Stars gleamed and winked like searching fireflies —Robert Traver
17. Stars … huge, like daisies —May Sarton
18. Stars large as asters —Mary Stewart
19. Stars … like countless diamond lamps —Hans Christian Andersen
20. (At night) stars rise like the bubbles of the drowned —Yehuda Amichai
21. The stars seemed to look down like a thousand winking eyes —William Humphrey
22. The stars which at midnight looked like a spillway of broken pearls, did not shine at this hour; they were holes of light, like eye squints in black masks —Paul Theroux
23. Twinkle, twinkle, little star how I wonder what you are, up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky —Anne Taylor