starfish

Pluralstarfishes, starfish

Formsstarfishes, starfishing, starfished

1. 1
   nouncountable

   A sea animal with five arms, shaped like a star.

   Shaped like a star you might draw, but alive and living in the sea.

   A starfish clung to the rock in the shallow pool.

   We watched a bright orange starfish move slowly across the aquarium glass.

   Similarasteroid

   Note
2. 2
   verbintransitive

   To spread your arms and legs out wide, like a starfish.

   Like lying down and spreading out to look like the letter X.

   The kids like to starfish across the big bed.

   He starfished on the carpet and stared up at the ceiling.

   Similarsprawl

   Note
3. 3
   verbtransitive

   To spread something out wide into a star shape.

   He starfished his hands against the cold glass.

   Use your thumbs to starfish the soft dough into five long points.

   Similarsplay, spread, stretch

   Oppositetuck

   Note
4. 4
   verbintransitive

   To float on water with your arms and legs spread out wide.

   Like lying flat on the water and spreading out like a star.

   We like to starfish in the pool after a long swim.

   He starfished on the surface and looked up at the clouds.

   Similarfloat

5. 5
   nounslangvulgarcountable

   A rude slang word for a person's anus.

   He slipped on the ice and bruised his starfish.

   The rash spread to the skin around her starfish.

   Similaranus

   Note
6. 6
   nounslangcountable

   A person who joins in sex unwillingly, lying back with arms and legs spread out.

   Her friends teased that she had been a starfish on her wedding night.

   He admitted he had been a bit of a starfish during the relationship.

   Note

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