student asking question

What does "stare down" mean here?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

In most cases, to "stare down" someone means to confront them someone with a stare until they submit or turn away first. It's also used in some situations to describe confrontation, not necessarily with a stare. In this case, "stare down" takes the meaning of "confront." Ex: He stared down the bully until he looked away. Ex: It's advised to not stare down unfamiliar dogs, in case they become aggressive.

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