Start - Definition

n 1: the beginning of anything; "it was off to a good start"
2: the time at which something is supposed to begin; "they got
an early start"; "she knew from the get-go that he was the
man for her" [syn: beginning, commencement, first,
outset, get-go, start, kickoff, starting time,
showtime, offset] [ant: end, ending, middle]
3: a turn to be a starter (in a game at the beginning); "he got
his start because one of the regular pitchers was in the
hospital"; "his starting meant that the coach thought he was
one of their best linemen" [syn: start, starting]
4: a sudden involuntary movement; "he awoke with a start" [syn:
startle, jump, start]
5: the act of starting something; "he was responsible for the
beginning of negotiations" [syn: beginning, start,
commencement] [ant: finish, finishing]
6: a line indicating the location of the start of a race or a
game [syn: start, starting line, scratch, scratch
line]
7: a signal to begin (as in a race); "the starting signal was a
green light"; "the runners awaited the start" [syn: starting
signal, start]
8: the advantage gained by beginning early (as in a race); "with
an hour's start he will be hard to catch" [syn: start,
head start]
v 1: take the first step or steps in carrying out an action; "We
began working at dawn"; "Who will start?"; "Get working as
soon as the sun rises!"; "The first tourists began to
arrive in Cambodia"; "He began early in the day"; "Let's
get down to work now" [syn: get down, begin, get,
start out, start, set about, set out, commence]
[ant: end, terminate]
2: set in motion, cause to start; "The U.S. started a war in the
Middle East"; "The Iraqis began hostilities"; "begin a new
chapter in your life" [syn: begin, lead off, start,
commence] [ant: end, terminate]
3: leave; "The family took off for Florida" [syn: depart,
part, start, start out, set forth, set off, set
out, take off]
4: have a beginning, in a temporal, spatial, or evaluative
sense; "The DMZ begins right over the hill"; "The second
movement begins after the Allegro"; "Prices for these homes
start at $250,000" [syn: begin, start] [ant: cease,
end, finish, stop, terminate]
5: bring into being; "He initiated a new program"; "Start a
foundation" [syn: originate, initiate, start]
6: get off the ground; "Who started this company?"; "We embarked
on an exciting enterprise"; "I start my day with a good
breakfast"; "We began the new semester"; "The afternoon
session begins at 4 PM"; "The blood shed started when the
partisans launched a surprise attack" [syn: start, start
up, embark on, commence]
7: move or jump suddenly, as if in surprise or alarm; "She
startled when I walked into the room" [syn: startle,
jump, start]
8: get going or set in motion; "We simply could not start the
engine"; "start up the computer" [syn: start, start up]
[ant: stop]
9: begin or set in motion; "I start at eight in the morning";
"Ready, set, go!" [syn: start, go, get going] [ant:
halt, stop]
10: begin work or acting in a certain capacity, office or job;
"Take up a position"; "start a new job" [syn: start, take
up]
11: play in the starting lineup
12: have a beginning characterized in some specified way; "The
novel begins with a murder"; "My property begins with the
three maple trees"; "Her day begins with a workout"; "The
semester begins with a convocation ceremony" [syn: begin,
start]
13: begin an event that is implied and limited by the nature or
inherent function of the direct object; "begin a cigar";
"She started the soup while it was still hot"; "We started
physics in 10th grade" [syn: begin, start]
14: bulge outward; "His eyes popped" [syn: start, protrude,
pop, pop out, bulge, bulge out, bug out, come
out]