1. One who gazes at the stars. Often used as a familiar or contemptuous substitute for astrologer or astronomer.
1560. Bible (Geneva), Isa. xlvii. 13. Let now the astrologers, the starre gasers & pronosticatours stand vp.
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. 62. These star-gaisers, who teach that man is drawne to good or euill by the influence of stars.
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., VI. viii. § 5. 72. His Astrologers and Star-gazers forwarding him with their vaine predictions.
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, 29 April 1652. Knavish and ignorant star-gazers.
1727. De Foe, Syst. Magic, I. iii. (1840), 73. As the eminent Dr. H——— may be called the king’s astronomer, or as the more eminent Flamstead usually called himself, the king’s star-gazer.
1842. Emerson, Transcendentalist, Wks. (Bohn), II. 280. The materialist … mocks at … star-gazers and dreamers.
1876. Chambers, Astron., p. v. The mere star-gazer who is an Astronomer simply in the respect that he is the owner of a telescope.
2. The fish Uranoscopus scaber, which has eyes set on the top of the head and directed vertically; also, any fish of this genus or of the family Uranoscopidæ.
1661. Lovell, Hist. Anim. & Min., 225. Starre-gazer. Vranoscopus.
1740. R. Brookes, Art of Angling, II. lxviii. The Star-Gazer … is often taken in the Mediterranean Sea.
1881. Cassell’s Nat. Hist., V. 92. The best known genus, Uranoscopus, comprises about ten species, which are familiarly termed star-gazers.
1882. Jordan & Gilbert, Synopsis Fishes N. Amer., 627. Uranoscopidæ (The Star Gazers).
b. Applied to other fishes: see quots.
1863. Wood, Illustr. Nat. Hist., III. 330. Stargazer, Anableps tetrophthalmus. Ibid., 331. The Stargazer is a native of Surinam.
1878. A. M. Ross, Catal. Mammals, etc. Canada, 11/1. Uranidea gracilis, Little Star Gazer.
3. slang. (See quots.)
1785. Grose, Dict. Vulgar T., Star gazer, a horse who throws up his head.
1831. Youatt, Horse, ix. 156. The back of the head being thus pulled back,… the horse … will become what is technically called a star-gazer.
4. Naut. (See quots.)
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., 630. Sky-scraper, a triangular sail set above the skysail; if square it would be a moon-sail, and if set above that, a star-gazer, &c.
1883. Clark Russell, Sailors’ Lang., 137. Star-gazer, an imaginary sail, like sky-scraper.
