start

[ stahrt ]

/ stɑrt /

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See synonyms for start on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object)

to begin or set out, as on a journey or activity.

to appear or come suddenly into action, life, view, etc.; rise or issue suddenly forth.

to spring, move, or dart suddenly from a position or place: The rabbit started from the bush.

to be among the entrants in a race or the initial participants in a game or contest.

to give a sudden, involuntary jerk, jump, or twitch, as from a shock of surprise, alarm, or pain: The sudden clap of thunder caused everyone to start.

to protrude: eyes seeming to start from their sockets.

to spring, slip, or work loose from place or fastenings, as timbers or other structural parts.

verb (used with object)

to set moving, going, or acting; to set in operation: to start an automobile; to start a fire.

to establish or found: to start a new business.

to begin work on: to start a book.

to enable or help (someone) set out on a journey, a career, or the like: The record started the young singer on the road to stardom.

to cause or choose to be an entrant in a game or contest: He started his ace pitcher in the crucial game.

to cause (an object) to work loose from place or fastenings.

to rouse (game) from its lair or covert; flush.

to draw or discharge (liquid or other contents) from a vessel or container; empty (a container).

Archaic. to cause to twitch, jump, or flinch involuntarily; startle.

noun

a beginning of an action, journey, etc.

a signal to move, proceed, or begin, as on a course or in a race.

a place or time from which something begins.

the first part or beginning segment of anything: The start of the book was good but the last half was dull.

an instance of being a participant in a race or an initial participant in a game or contest: The horse won his first two starts.

a sudden, springing movement from a position.

a sudden, involuntary jerking movement of the body: to awake with a start.

a lead or advance of specified amount, as over competitors or pursuers.

the position or advantage of one who starts first: The youngest child should have the start over the rest.

a chance, opportunity, aid, or encouragement given to one starting on a course or career: The bride's parents gave the couple a start by buying them a house.

a spurt of activity.

a starting of parts from their place or fastenings in a structure.

the resulting break or opening.

an outburst or sally, as of emotion, wit, or fancy.

OTHER WORDS FOR start

9 institute.

17 commencement, onset.

23 twitch, jump.

See synonyms for start on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR start

10 end, terminate.

See antonyms for start on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of start

First recorded before 1150; Middle English verb sterte(n), stirte(n), “to rush out, leap” (cognate with Middle High German sterzen ); replacing Old English styrtan (attested once), cognate with German stürzen; noun derivative of the verb

synonym study for start

10. See begin.

OTHER WORDS FROM start

mis·start, verbnon·start·ing, adjectivere·start, verb, nounun·start·ed, adjective

un·start·ing, adjective

Words nearby start

Star-Spangled Banner, star stream, star-struck, star-studded, star system, start, start codon, starter, starter home, starters, start from scratch

Other definitions for start (2 of 2)

START

[ stahrt ]

/ stɑrt /

noun

Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use start in a sentence

And not just sick in the body but in your mind, because you start obsessing.
How Taryn Toomey’s ‘The Class’ Became New York’s Latest Fitness Craze|Lizzie Crocker|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Between 25 and 30, you’re trying to decide how much longer before you start growing a beard and calling yourself ‘Daddy.
Freaking Out About Age Gaps in Gay Relationships Is Homophobic|Samantha Allen|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Kickstarter is one start-up platform that seems to have realized the danger.
Design Your Own Dinosaur: The Era of Custom DNA|Justin Jones|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
But maybe you have to start somewhere else — with Lamont Waltman Marvin, Monty, his father, the Chief, the old man.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST

So Marvin had the old showbiz glamour in his life from the start.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Keep closely covered with a bell glass and, in a few weeks, more or less, the baby Ferns will start to put in an appearance.
How to Know the Ferns|S. Leonard Bastin
The smoke from her kitchen fire rose white as she put in dry sumac to give it a start.
The Bondboy|George W. (George Washington) Ogden
There are sentimental children, as there are sentimental adults, who seem never happier than when the tears are ready to start.
Children's Ways|James Sully
But the day he planned to start was very cold—the mercury stood twenty-seven below zero.
The Homesteader|Oscar Micheaux
He said that you were going along, and so I thought I'd hunt you up and tell you that we'll start about seven in the morning.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair

British Dictionary definitions for start (1 of 2)

start

/ (stɑːt) /

verb

to begin or cause to begin (something or to do something); come or cause to come into being, operation, etche started a quarrel; they started to work

(when intr , sometimes foll by on) to make or cause to make a beginning of (a process, series of actions, etc)they started on the project

(sometimes foll by up) to set or be set in motionhe started up the machine

(intr) to make a sudden involuntary movement of one's body, from or as if from fright; jump

(intr; sometimes foll by up, away, etc) to spring or jump suddenly from a position or place

to establish or be established; set upto start a business

(tr) to support (someone) in the first part of a venture, career, etc

to work or cause to work loose

to enter or be entered in a race

(intr) to flow violently from a sourcewine started from a hole in the cask

(tr) to rouse (game) from a hiding place, lair, etc

(intr) (esp of eyes) to bulge; pop

an archaic word for startle

(intr) British informal to commence quarrelling or causing a disturbance

to start with in the first place

noun

the first or first part of a series of actions or operations, a journey, etc

the place or time of starting, as of a race or performance

a signal to proceed, as in a race

a lead or advantage, either in time or distance and usually of specified extent, in a competitive activityhe had an hour's start on me

a slight involuntary movement of the body, as through fright, surprise, etcshe gave a start as I entered

an opportunity to enter a career, undertake a project, etc

informal a surprising incident

a part that has come loose or been disengaged

by fits and starts spasmodically; without concerted effort

for a start in the first place

Word Origin for start

Old English styrtan; related to Old Norse sterta to crease, Old High German sturzen to rush

British Dictionary definitions for start (2 of 2)

START

/ (stɑːt) /

n acronym for

Strategic Arms Reduction Talks

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with start

start

In addition to the idioms beginning with start

start from scratch
start in
start in on
start off
start out
start over
start something
start up

also see:

false start
fits and starts
for openers (starters)
(start) from scratch
from soup to nuts (start to finish)
get off the ground (to a flying start)
head start
running start
to start with

start

OTHER WORDS FOR start

OPPOSITES FOR start

Origin of start

synonym study for start

OTHER WORDS FROM start

Words nearby start

Other definitions for start (2 of 2)

Words related to start

How to use start in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for start (1 of 2)

Word Origin for start

British Dictionary definitions for start (2 of 2)

Other Idioms and Phrases with start