star */*/*/

I UK [stɑː(r)] / US [stɑr] noun [countable]
Word forms "star":
singular star plural stars

1) a very large hot ball of gas that appears as a small bright light in the sky at night

See:

thank

2) a famous and popular person, especially an actor, entertainer, or sports personality

a Hollywood/TV/pop/soccer star

a big star:

All the big stars were at the party.

a child star:

the former child star Shirley Temple

a star in the making (= someone who is likely to become a star):

I think we've got a star in the making here.

make someone a star:

With his contacts he can make you a star.

a) [only before noun] typical of a star, or suitable for a star

star quality:

He's a good player but he lacks star quality.

star treatment (= very good and special treatment):

She always gets star treatment wherever she goes.

b) the main actor or performer in a film, play, television programme etc

Today, he's the star of a hundred-million-dollar movie.

the star of the show (= the best actor or performer):

The dog was undoubtedly the star of the show.

••

See:

all-star

3) a sign shaped like a star that is given to a hotel or restaurant to show which group it belongs to according to its quality or importance

How many stars does the hotel have?

a three-star/five-star hotel/restaurant:

We stayed in a five-star hotel on our honeymoon.

a) a sign or small piece of paper shaped like a star that is given to someone, especially a child, as a reward for good work

She got a gold star for her drawing.

b) an object shaped like a star that some soldiers wear as a sign of their high rank

c) a sign like a star with a lot of points, used for example in computers, on a telephone, or for marking something as important

I've put stars next to the names I want you to check.

Press star now.

4) an object or shape with five or more points that looks like a star

We always put a star at the top of our Christmas tree.

the 50 stars on the US flag

5) someone or something that is clearly better than all the other people or things in a group

star of:

McAllister was most definitely the star of the Scottish team.

a rising star (of something):

He had once been regarded as the rising star of the Party.

a star pupil:

Mick was a star pupil at his school.

a star attraction:

The Peugeot 805 is the star attraction at this year's motor show.

6) informal someone who does something kind and helpful

Oh, that's great. You're a star!

7)

a) stars

[plural] mainly literary a power that some people believe influences what happens in the future

He wondered what the stars held for him now.

b) British informal a horoscope

Have you read your stars today?

My stars say that I'm going to have a bad week.

•

- reach for the stars

- see stars

- stars in your eyes

- under the stars

- written in the stars

See:

Star of David, the Stars and Stripes

II UK [stɑː(r)] / US [stɑr] verb
Word forms "star":
present tense I/you/we/they star he/she/it stars present participle starring past tense starred past participle starred

1)

a) [intransitive] to be the main actor or performer in a film, play, television programme etc

star in:

Sarah has missed her chance of starring in the school play.

star as:

He starred in Devil's Advocate as an ambitious lawyer.

star with/alongside:

Starring alongside Harrison Ford will be Meryl Streep and George Clooney.

star opposite (= as the other main actor):

In her next film she stars opposite Travolta.

b) [transitive] if a film, play, television programme etc stars someone, they are the main actor or performer in it

The X-Files, starring David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson.

star someone as someone/something:

It stars Anthony Hopkins as President Nixon.

2) [transitive] to put a sign shaped like a star next to something on a list in order to mark it as special or important

The books that are starred cost more than £10.