head start

American  

Or headstart

noun

1. an advantage given or acquired in any competition, endeavor, etc., as allowing one or more competitors in a race to start before the others.

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head start British  

noun

1. an initial advantage in a competitive situation

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head start Idioms  

1. An early start that confers an advantage, as in This year we'll get a head start on the competition by running more ads. The expression comes from racing, where it was used for a horse being given an advantage of several lengths over the others. Its extension to other areas dates from the early 1900s.

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Etymology

Origin of head start

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

If your first punch is free, the consumer has an artificial head start and is incentivized to keep visiting to eventually get that free coffee or service.

From MarketWatch

In the end, the head start Red Bull's Max Verstappen had established in the first five races of the year was too much.

From BBC

Over time the accounts might become large enough to use for tuition, a home down payment, or a head start on retirement.

From The Wall Street Journal

So these younger investors are getting the head start many of their parents did not — but are they making better or worse financial decisions?

From MarketWatch

“We’ve seen what happens when a child gets even a small financial head start. Their world expands,” Michael Dell, CEO of Dell Technologies, said in a video posted on X.

From MarketWatch