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What is the meaning of stark?

I have got from Cambridge dictionary: empty, simple or obvious, especially without decoration or anything which is not necessary; severe or extreme

Simple and severe are two opposite words.

So how they give us same meaning?

Laser-boy
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1 Answers1

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OP misunderstands the relevant meaning of...

simple - not ornate or luxurious; unadorned: a simple gown.

...and/or...

severe - rigidly restrained in style, taste, manner, etc.; simple, plain, or austere.

The fact that both these words have other meaning and connotations is beside the point. But it's worth noting that stark (which ultimately derives from strong) often simply means completely, or extremely...

stark naked
stark raving mad
etc., etc.

It can also replace adjectival forms such as complete (e.g. - "This is in stark contrast to that").

FumbleFingers
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  • In March 2011, the Russian security service sent a stark warning to the F.B.I., reporting that Tamerlan Tsarnaev was “a follower of radical Islam” what would be the meaning of this? – Laser-boy Apr 26 '13 at 20:52
  • @Laser, since I'm a learner, can you explain how is Tsarnaev's story, also admitting it is true, related to the English language and, especially, to FF's answer? –  Apr 26 '13 at 21:21
  • http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/26/us/russia-told-us-bomb-suspect-was-radical-islamist.html?ref=us&_r=0 check the link – Laser-boy Apr 26 '13 at 21:22
  • @Laser, ah, I see. I think 'stark' there means that the message was written using a minimal number of words, those strictly needed. –  Apr 26 '13 at 21:31
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    @Carlo_R.: Actually, I think the key sense in a *stark warning* is more that of being extremely blunt. That's sheer, absolute, unqualified* from OED, and unpleasantly clear and obvious from cambridge dictionaries. The word stark has a long history, including many (related) senses, not all of which are current or common today. – FumbleFingers Apr 26 '13 at 21:45
  • @Laser-boy: Your question would have been a much better one had you included the dictionary research (which was excellent, by the way) and the sentence from the Times article (which I assume prompted the question. – J.R. Apr 28 '13 at 02:05
  • @J.R.: I'm assuming OP's problem primarily concerns the fact that he couldn't reconcile stark=simple with stark=severe. But even given the full context of sends a stark message, for example, I think it would usually be somewhat subjective as to which *exact* nuance was intended. Per OED, it could be unyielding, stern, inflexible in an old text (OED says that's an obsolete sense). Or violent/stern, harsh, severe, or stout, powerful, or sheer, absolute, unqualified, etc., etc. – FumbleFingers Apr 28 '13 at 14:54