I. starch 1 /stɑːtʃ $ stɑːrtʃ/ BrE AmE noun
1 . [uncountable and countable] a substance which provides your body with energy and is found in foods such as grain, rice, and potatoes, or a food that contains this substance SYN carbohydrate :
He eats a lot of starch.
Avoid fatty foods and starches.
2 . [uncountable] a substance that is mixed with water and is used to make cloth stiff
II. starch 2 BrE AmE verb [transitive usually passive]
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Origin: Probably from an unrecorded Old English stercan 'to make stiff' ]
to make cloth stiff, using starch:
a starched tablecloth