start up

British  

verb

1. to come or cause to come into being for the first time; originate

2. (intr) to spring or jump suddenly from a position or place

3. to set in or go into motion, activity, etc

   he started up the engine

   the orchestra started up

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adjective

1. of or relating to input, usually financial, made to establish a new project or business

   a start-up mortgage

noun

1. a business enterprise that has been launched recently

start up Idioms  

1. Begin to operate, especially a machine or engine, as in Start up the motor so we can get going . [First half of 1900s]

2. Move suddenly or begin an activity, as in When the alarm rang I started up . [Early 1200s]

3. Organize a new enterprise, as in Starting up a business requires considerable capital . [Second half of 1900s]

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Explanation

A start-up is a brand new business. A typical start-up begins as a small team with a great idea working out of a home or coffee shop. A giant, well-funded company isn't a start-up — start-ups are entrepreneurial concepts with one or two founders that typically run on a small, shoestring budget. Starting a start-up, however, means you intend to grow it and make money. Shopify, Zappos, and AirBnB all began as start-ups. Many start-ups fail, and start-ups that end up valued at a billion dollars or more are so rare that they're known as unicorns.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

start up

Olsi reckoned it would probably start up again in the autumn, though, regardless of those survey results.

From Slate ● Sep. 8, 2026

While Fervo’s technology is still being proven, its first plant is due to start up this year and reach 100 megawatts of capacity in early 2027.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

"He'll probably make it back into parliament but at that point the investigation will start up again. So he can run, but he can't hide."

From Barron's ● Jul. 7, 2026

There have been attempts to start up professional softball leagues before.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026

I grin as I always do when I start up the mill.

From "On the Far Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George