star
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A common abbreviation of the name of the well-known STAR AND GARTER Inn at Richmond. Clever people, who delight in altering names, call this hostelry the "Gar and Starter."
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “star” mean?
A common abbreviation of the name of the well-known STAR AND GARTER Inn at Richmond. Clever people, who delight in altering names, call this hostelry the "Gar and Starter."
Is “star” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.