n. 25B6; verb
the meeting starts at 7.45 : BEGIN, commence, get under way, go ahead, get going; informal kick off.
this was how her illness had started : COME INTO BEING, begin, commence, be born, come into existence, appear, arrive, come forth, emerge, erupt, burst out, arise, originate, develop.
she started her own charity : ESTABLISH, set up, found, create, bring into being, institute, initiate, inaugurate, introduce, open, launch, float, kick-start, get something off the ground, pioneer, organize, mastermind; informal kick something off.
we had better start on the work : MAKE A START, begin, commence, take the first step, make the first move, get going, go ahead, set things moving, start/get/set the ball rolling, buckle to/down, turn to; informal get moving, get cracking, get stuck in, get down to it, get to it, get down to business, get one's finger out, get the show on the road, take the plunge, kick off, get off one's backside, fire away; Brit. informal get weaving.
he started across the field : SET OFF, set out, start out, set forth, begin one's journey, get on the road, depart, leave, get under way, make a start, sally forth, embark, sail; informal hit the road.
you can start the machine : ACTIVATE, set in motion, switch on, start up, turn on, fire up; energize, actuate, set off, start off, set something going/moving.
the machine started : BEGIN WORKING, start up, get going, spring into life.
Oh my! she said, starting : FLINCH, jerk, jump, twitch, recoil, shy, shrink, blench, wince.
finish, stop, clear up, wind up, hang about, give up, arrive, stay, close down.
25B6; noun
the start of the event : BEGINNING, commencement, inception.
the start of her illness : ONSET, commencement, emergence, (first) appearance, arrival, eruption, dawn, birth.
a quarter of an hour's start : LEAD, head start, advantage.
a start in life : ADVANTAGEOUS BEGINNING, flying start, helping hand, lift, assistance, support, encouragement, boost, kick-start; informal break, leg up.
she awoke with a start : JERK, twitch, flinch, wince, spasm, convulsion, jump.
end, finish, handicap.