start off
Britishverb
-
(intr) to set out on a journey
-
to be or make the first step in an activity; initiate
he started the show off with a lively song
-
(tr) to cause (a person) to act or do something, such as to laugh, to tell stories, etc
-
Set out on a trip, as in We plan to start off in the morning . [Early 1800s] Also see start out .
-
start someone off . Cause someone to set out or to begin something, as in Mother packed their lunches and started them off , or Paul started them off on their multiplication tables . [Early 1700s] For start off on the right foot , see get off on the right foot .
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Companies like Anta, which start off making goods for global brands, gradually learn the fundamentals of managing the business, do well in China and "naturally go on to bigger things", Kan adds.
From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026
He also gave an update on where each character will start off.
From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026
It will start off by releasing 15 days’ worth of privately held reserves and one month’s worth of national reserves, according to the Japan Times.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 11, 2026
“It’s a great way to start off the day,” Rapp said.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2026
"Since we're feasting on chicken with water chestnuts," Sandy said, "I'll start off with the Hoos."
From "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
