mass noun
1- an odourless, tasteless white substance occurring widely in plant tissue and obtained chiefly from cereals and potatoes. It is a polysaccharide which functions as a carbohydrate store and is an important constituent of the human diet.淀粉。
1.1
- food containing this substance含淀粉的食物。
1.2
- powder or spray made from this substance and used before ironing to stiffen fabric or clothing（浆衣服用的）淀粉粉末; 淀粉糊。
1.3
- figurative stiffness of manner or character〈喻〉（风格、性格上的）古板, 刻板, 拘谨：
the starch in her voice.
她古板的声音。
with obj.
1- stiffen (fabric or clothing) with starch（用淀粉）给（衣服）上浆：
as adj. starched his immaculately starched shirt.他的完美上浆衬衣。
1.1
- N. Amer. informal (of a boxer) defeat (an opponent) by a knockout〈北美, 非正式〉（拳击手）击倒对手。
短语
take the starch out of someone
- US deflate or humiliate someone〈美〉使泄气; 羞辱。
派生词
starcher
noun词源
Old English （recorded only in the past participle sterced 'stiffened'）, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch sterken, German stärken 'strengthen', also to STARK.