(stärk) adjective
1. Stiff or rigid, as in death.
2. Obs. Stubborn; inflexible.
3. Severe; tempestuous, as weather; strict or grim, as a person; also, deserted or barren, as a landscape.
4. Obs. Strong and powerful.
5. Without ornamentation; blunt; complete; utter; downright: stark misery.
6. Naked: short for stark naked.
—adverb
1. In a stark manner.
2. Completely; utterly: stark mad. [OE stearc stiff. Related to STARCH.]
—stark′ly adverb

(shtärk), Johannes,
1874–1957, German physicist.

(stärk), John,
1728–1822, American Revolutionary general.