/ stɑːt; NAmE stɑːrt/ verb , noun
■ verb
DOING STH
1.
to begin doing or using sth :
[ vn ]
I start work at nine.
He's just started a new job.
I only started (= began to read) this book yesterday.
We need to start (= begin using) a new jar of coffee.
The kids start school next week.
[ v to inf ]
It started to rain.
Mistakes were starting to creep in.
[ v -ing ]
She started laughing.
[ v ]
It's a long story. Where shall I start?
It's time you started on your homework.
Let's start by reviewing what we did last week.
Can you start (= a new job) on Monday?
[ v - adj ]
The best professional musicians start young .
➡ note at begin
HAPPENING
2.
to start happening; to make sth start happening :
[ v ]
When does the class start?
Have you any idea where the rumour started?
[ vn ]
Who started the fire?
Do you start the day with a good breakfast?
You're always trying to start an argument.
[ vn -ing ]
The news started me thinking.
MACHINE / VEHICLE
3.
when you start a machine or a vehicle or it starts , it begins to operate :
[ vn ]
Start the engines!
I can't get the car started.
[ v ]
The car won't start.
EXISTING
4.
start (sth) (up) to begin to exist; to make sth begin to exist :
[ v ]
There are a lot of small businesses starting up in that area.
[ vn ]
They decided to start a catering business.
JOURNEY
5.
[ v ] start (out) to begin a journey; to leave
SYN set off , set out :
What time are we starting tomorrow?
GOING / WALKING
6.
[ v + adv. / prep. ] to begin to move in a particular direction :
I started after her (= began to follow her) to tell her the news.
He started for the door, but I blocked his way.
IN PARTICULAR WAY / FROM PLACE / LEVEL
7.
start (out / off) (sth) (as sth) to begin, or to begin sth such as a career, in a particular way that changed later :
[ v ]
She started as a secretary but ended up running the department.
The company started out with 30 employees.
[ vn ]
He started life as a teacher before turning to journalism.
8.
[ v + adv. / prep. ] to begin from a particular place, amount or situation :
The trail starts just outside the town.
Hotel prices start at €50 a night for a double room.
The evening started badly when the speaker failed to turn up.
MOVE SUDDENLY
9.
[ v ] to move suddenly and quickly because you are surprised or afraid
SYN jump :
The sudden noise made her start.
•
IDIOMS
- don't (you) start
- get started
- you, he, she, etc. started it
- start something
- to start with
—more at alarm noun , ball noun , foot noun
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- start back
- start off
- start sb off (on sth)
- start on sb
- start on at sb (about sth) | start on (at sb) about sth
- start out
- start over
- start up | start sth up
■ noun
BEGINNING
1.
[ C , usually sing. ] the point at which sth begins :
a perfect start to the day
Things didn't look too hopeful at the start of the year.
The meeting got off to a good / bad start (= started well / badly) .
The trip was a disaster from start to finish .
We've had problems (right) from the start .
( informal )
This could be the start of something big.
2.
[ sing. ] the act or process of beginning sth :
I'll paint the ceiling if you make a start on the walls.
I want to make an early start in the morning.
She's moving abroad to make a fresh start (= to begin a new life) .
—see also false start , kick-start
OPPORTUNITY
3.
[ C , usually sing. ] the opportunity that you are given to begin sth in a successful way :
They worked hard to give their children a good start in life .
The job gave him his start in journalism.
IN RACE
4.
the start [ sing. ] the place where a race begins :
The runners lined up at the start.
5.
[ C , usually sing. ] an amount of time or distance that sb has as an advantage over other people at the beginning of a race :
She went into the second round with a five-minute start on the rest of the cyclists.
I gave the younger children a start.
—see also head start
6.
[ C , usually pl. ] ( sport ) a race or competition that sb has taken part in :
She has been beaten only once in six starts.
SUDDEN MOVEMENT
7.
[ C , usually sing. ] an act of moving your body quickly and suddenly because you are surprised, afraid, etc. :
She woke from the dream with a start .
You gave me quite a start!
•
IDIOMS
- for a start
—more at fit noun , flying start
••
SYNONYMS
start
begin ♦ start off ♦ kick off ♦ commence ♦ open ♦ get under way
These words are all used to talk about things happening from the beginning, or people doing the first part of sth.
start
to begin to happen or exist; to begin in a particular way or from a particular point:
When does the class start?
begin
to start to happen or exist; to start in a particular way or from a particular point; to start speaking:
When does the concert begin?
start or begin?
There is not much difference in meaning between these words. Start is more frequent in spoken English and in business contexts; begin is more frequent in written English and is often used when you are describing a series of events:
The story begins on the island of Corfu.
Start is not used to mean 'begin speaking': 'Ladies and gentlemen,' he started.
start off
( rather informal ) to start happening or doing sth; to start by doing or being sth:
The discussion started off mildly enough.
kick off
( informal ) to start an event or activity, especially in a particular way; (of an event, activity, etc.) to start, especially in a particular way:
Tom will kick off with a few comments.
•
The festival kicks off on Monday, September 13.
commence
( formal ) to start happening:
The meeting is scheduled to commence at noon.
open
to start an event or activity in a particular way; (of an event, film / movie or book) to start, especially in a particular way:
The story opens with a murder.
get under way
to start:
Preparations have got under way for a week of special events in May.
NOTE
Get under way is used most often with such words as season , preparations , discussions , day , and investigation .
PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS :
to start / begin / start off / kick off / commence / open / get under way with sth
to start / begin / start off / kick off / commence / open / get under way by doing sth
to start / begin / start off / commence as sth
a campaign / season / meeting starts / begins / starts off / kicks off / commences / opens / gets under way
a film / movie / book starts / begins / starts off / opens
to start / begin all over again
Let's start / begin / start off / kick off / commence / open / get under way (with sth)
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English styrtan to caper, leap , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch storten push and German stürzen fall headlong, fling. From the sense sudden movement arose the sense initiation of movement, setting out on a journey and hence beginning of a process, etc. .