adj. I. stiff, rigid, not soft, not bending :-- Is seó eággebyrd stearc and hiwe stáne gelícast, Exon. Th. 219, 4; Ph. 302. Hláf and stán, streac and hnesce, Elen. Kmbl. 1226; El. 615. Stánas and ðæt starce ísen, Homl. Skt. i. 8, 29. Beátan mid stearcum stengum, Homl. Th. i. 428, 6. I a fig. unyielding, stiff-necked, obstinate :-- Heó wǽron stearce, stáne heardran, Elen. Kmbl. 1126; El. 565. II. hard, rough, strong, of wind or weather :-- Stearc winter aspera hyems, Coll. Monast. Th. 19, 17. Se stearca wind norþan-eástan, Bt. 9; Fox 26, 18. Se stearca storm, Met. 6, 11. Stearc storma gelác, 26, 29. Þurh ðone stearcan wind norþan and eástan, Bt. 4; Fox 8, 5. Stearce stormas, 23; Fox 78, 27. Gescyrped mid rinde wið ða stearcan stormas, 150, 8. III. rough, attended with hardship, hard, of living, discipline, etc. :-- Hé ða stíðnyssa his stearcan bigleofan betwux lǽwedum folce geheóld, Homl. Th. ii. 148, 31. Se ðe mec lǽreþ from ðé on stearcne weg, Exon. Th. 259, 14; Jul. 282. Hé hé mihte swá stearce forhæfednysse (rigid abstinence) healdan, Homl. Th. ii. 354, 23. IV. stern, severe :-- Hé (William) wæs milde ðám gódum mannum and ofer eall gemett stearc ðám mannum ðe wiðcwǽdon his willan ... Hé wæs swýðe stearc man swá ðæt man ne dorste nán þing ongeán his willan dón, Chr. 1086; Erl. 221, 17, 32: Erl. 222, 21. Hé ða heardheortan ðeóde niid stearcre ðreále and stíðre myngunge tó lífes wege gebígde, Homl. Th. i. 362, 34. V. strong, impetuous, violent, vehement, (a) lit. :-- Hé of stánclife stearce burnan lǽdde, Ps. Th. 135, 17. (b) fig. O. Sax. stark: O. Frs. sterk. O. H. Ger. starc, starah fortis, validus: Icel. sterkr strong.] stearc