starting block

American  

noun

Track.

1. a device used by runners, especially sprinters, for increasing their speed off the mark, consisting of a metal or wooden frame, usually secured to the ground at both ends, with adjustable, triangular-shaped blocks on each side for bracing the feet.

---

starting block British  

noun

1. one of a pair of adjustable devices with pads or blocks against which a sprinter braces his feet in crouch starts

---

Etymology

Origin of starting block

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

starting block

His starting block from his race in Shenzhen is set to be preserved in a sports museum in the city.

From BBC ● Mar. 25, 2026

The result was that she found herself still in the warm-up pool, instead of being on the starting block of the main pool, at call time for the final heat.

From Salon ● Aug. 3, 2024

But Dafoe, a four-time Oscar nominee known for his soulful, cerebral presence, has been doing this long enough to know the page is just the starting block.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 19, 2023

A trainer said there was a problem with a speaker on a starting block, but a swimmer attributed the pause to touchpads not working.

From Washington Times ● Apr. 23, 2023

And that’s just a starting block, but it doesn’t end there,” Malone said.

From Seattle Times ● May 4, 2022