Stark (@stärk), a. [Compar.Starker (@–ẽr); superl.Starkest.] [OE. stark stiff, strong, AS. stearc; akin to OS. starc strong, D. sterk, OHG. starc, starah, G. & Sw. stark, Dan. stærk, Icel. sterkr, Goth. gastaúrknan to become dried up, Lith. strëgti to stiffen, to freeze. Cf. Starch, a. & n.] 1. Stiff; rigid. Chaucer.
Whose senses all were straight benumbed and stark. Spenser.
His heart gan wax as stark as marble stone. Spenser.
Many a nobleman lies stark and stiff
Under the hoofs of vaunting enemies. Shak.
The north is not so stark and cold. B. Jonson.
2. Complete; absolute; full; perfect; entire.
Consider the stark security
The common wealth is in now. B. Jonson.
3. Strong; vigorous; powerful.
A stark, moss-trooping Scot. Sir W. Scott.
Stark beer, boy, stout and strong beer. Beau. & Fl.
4. Severe; violent; fierce. “In starke stours” [i.e., in fierce combats]. Chaucer.
5. Mere; sheer; gross; entire; downright.
He pronounces the citation stark nonsense. Collier.
Rhetoric is very good or stark naught; there's no medium in rhetoric. Selden.