[start] vb [ME sterten; akin to MHG sterzen to stand up stiffly, move quickly] vi (14c) 1 a: to move suddenly and violently: spring "~ed angrily to his feet" b: to react with a sudden brief involuntary movement "~ed when a shot rang out"
2. a: to issue with sudden force "blood ~ing from the wound" b: to come into being, activity, or operation "when does the movie ~" "the rain ~ed up again"
3: to protrude or seem to protrude "eyes ~ing from their sockets"
4: to become loosened or forced out of place "one of the planks has ~ed"
5. a: to begin a course or journey "~ed toward the door" "just ~ing out" b: to range from a specified initial point "the rates ~ at $10"
6: to begin an activity or undertaking; esp: to begin work 7: to be a participant in a game or contest; esp: to be in the starting lineup ~ vt 1: to cause to leave a place of concealment: flush "~ a rabbit"
2. archaic: startle, alarm
3: to bring up for consideration or discussion
4: to bring into being "~ a rumor"
5: to cause to become loosened or displaced
6: to begin the use of "~ a fresh loaf of bread"
7. a: to cause to move, act, or operate "~ the motor" b: to cause to enter a game or contest; esp: to put in the starting lineup c: to care for or train during the early stages of growth and development "~ed plants" "a well-started coonhound" 8: to do or experience the first stages or actions of "~ed studying music at the age of five" syn see begin -- start something also start anything : to make trouble "always trying to start something" "don't start anything" -- to start with 1: at the beginning: initially
2: in any event
[2]start n (14c) 1 a: a sudden involuntary bodily movement or reaction "woke with a ~" b: a brief and sudden action or movement c: a sudden capricious impulse or outburst
2: a beginning of movement, activity, or development "a false ~" "housing ~s"
3: head start
4: a place of beginning
5: the act or an instance of being a competitor in a race or a member of a starting lineup in a game "undefeated in six ~s --Current Biog."