start

/stˈɑɹt/ · 1 syllable

Meaning

verb

take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
“We began working at dawn”
set in motion, cause to start
“The U.S. started a war in the Middle East”
leave
“The family took off for Florida”
have a beginning, in a temporal, spatial, or evaluative sense
“The DMZ begins right over the hill”
bring into being
“He initiated a new program”
get off the ground
“Who started this company?”
move or jump suddenly, as if in surprise or alarm
“She startled when I walked into the room”
get going or set in motion
“We simply could not start the engine”
begin or set in motion
“I start at eight in the morning”
begin work or acting in a certain capacity, office or job
“Take up a position”
play in the starting lineup
have a beginning characterized in some specified way
“The novel begins with a murder”

noun

the beginning of anything
“it was off to a good start”
the time at which something is supposed to begin
“they got an early start”
a turn to be a starter (in a game at the beginning)
“he got his start because one of the regular pitchers was in the hospital”
a sudden involuntary movement
“he awoke with a start”
the act of starting something
“he was responsible for the beginning of negotiations”
a line indicating the location of the start of a race or a game
a signal to begin (as in a race)
“the starting signal was a green light”
the advantage gained by beginning early (as in a race)
“with an hour's start he will be hard to catch”

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