a. and adv. A. adj.
1. Resembling a star; shining like a star.
1591. Harington, Orl. Fur., XXXV. ii. Those two starrlike eyn.
1611. Cotgr., s.v. Estoille, Pierre d’estoilles, a … Carbuncle, wherein … many golden, sparkling, and starre-like drops may be discerned.
1652. [see SKY-LIKE].
1860. Piesse, Lab. Chem. Wonders, 3. This touch-wood … will shine with a star-like light.
1870. Bryant, Iliad, XVI. 173. The breastplate of the swift Æacides With star-like points.
b. transf. and fig.
1607. Shaks., Timon, V. i. 66. What, to you, Whose Starre-like Noblenesse gaue life and influence To their whole being?
1833. Tennyson, Dream Fair Wom., xxiii. She turning on my face The star-like sorrows of immortal eyes.
1883. Mrs. Carlyle’s Lett., II. 274. With a certain star-like radiance and grace.
1884. Christian World, 21 Feb., 139/5. This star-like serenity in all the tumult of his stormy life.
c. Countless as the stars. nonce-use.
1630. [see sand-like s.v. SAND sb.2 9 e].
2. Shaped like a conventional star; stellate, radiate.
1611. Cotgr., Estoillé, the Lizard Stellio, whose necke is full of starre-like spots.
1633. Johnson, Gerarde’s Herbal, II. xcvi. (1636), 418. At the top whereof stand many pretty starre-like skinny seed-vessels.
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl., s.v. Hair, The quills of the hedge-hog and porcupine have somewhat of a pith in a starlike form.
1847. C. Brontë, Jane Eyre, xxxiv. A soft turf,… spangled with a star-like yellow blossom.
1906. Hickson, in Hartog’s Protozoa, etc. (Camb. Nat. Hist.), 332. The position of the zooids in the colony is indicated only by star-like holes.
B. adv. Like a star.
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., V. v. 47. So shall she leaue her Blessednesse to One … Who, from the sacred Ashes of her Honour Shall Star-like rise.
a. 1678. Chalkhill, Thealma & Clearchus, 104. So Star-like bright they shone.
1725. Bradley’s Family Dict., s.v. Saffron (Bastard), This Plant produces staring Heads … with some Leaves, opening underneath Star-like.
1842. Tennyson, Sir Galahad, 48. As down dark tides the glory slides, And star-like mingles with the stars.
