stark blind, a.
Also β. 4–5 start-, storte-.
[f. stark adv. 2 (advb. use of stark a. 4); an alteration of stareblind (after stark dead). The β forms are due to association with start-naked.]
Quite blind. lit. and fig.
| 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) III. 97 He put out his eiȝen in Reblata, and lad hym (so) in Babilon streiȝt blynde. [MSS. α and γ start blynde. Caxton & β stark blynde.] a 1400 Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. xxix. i. 70 Þei woxe start-blynde anon-riht. c 1400 Sege Jerus. 576 For þe doust & þe dyn..alle..storte-blynde wexen. 1534 More Comf. agst. Trib. i. Wks. 1145/1 Christe..threw hym to the ground, and strake hym starke blynde. 1666 J. Davies Hist. Caribby Isl. 251 In the Streets they have met with many one-eyed, and many stark blind people. 1704 Evelyn Diary May, He was 86 years of age, stark blind, deafe, and memory lost. 1781 Cowper Charity 404 She sees a world stark blind to what employs Her eager thought. |
Hence stark-blind v., to make stark blind.
| a 1618 Sylvester Tri. Faith iv. ix, By Faith, Saint Paul stark-blinded Elymas. |