Stare
Old English starian, of Germanic origin, from a base meaning ‘be rigid’.
wiktionary
From Middle English staren, from Old English starian(“to stare”), from Proto-West Germanic *starēn, from Proto-Germanic *starjaną, *starāną(“to be fixed, be rigid”), from Proto-Indo-European *ster-.
Cognate with Dutch staren(“to stare”), German starren(“to stare”), German starr(“stiff”). More at start.
From Middle English star, ster, from Old English stær(“starling”), from Proto-Germanic *starô(“starling”), from Proto-Indo-European *stor-(“starling”). Cognate with German Star(“starling”), Danish stær(“starling”), Swedish stare(“starling”), Norwegian Nynorsk stare(“starling”), Icelandic stari(“starling”). Compare also Old English stearn(“a type of bird, starling”).
etymonline
stare (v.)
Old English starian "to stare, gaze, look fixedly at," from Proto-Germanic *staren "be rigid" (source also of Old Norse stara, Middle Low German and Middle Dutch staren, Old High German staren, German starren "to stare at;" German starren "to stiffen," starr "stiff;" Old Norse storr "proud;" Old High German storren "to stand out, project;" Gothic andstaurran "to be obstinate"), from PIE root *ster- (1) "stiff."
Not originally implying rudeness. To stare (someone) down is from 1848. Related: Stared; staring.
stare (n.1)
late 14c., "power of sight," from stare (v.). From c. 1700 as "a fixed gaze."
stare (n.2)
"starling," from Old English (see starling).
