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   start

   /stɑːt/

   verb

   • 1. begin or be reckoned from a particular point in time or space: "the season starts in September" Similar beginget under waygo aheadget goinginformal:kick offformal:commencecome into beingbeginbe borncome into existenceappeararrivecome forthemergeeruptburst outariseoriginatebreakunfolddevelopcrop upfirst see the light of dayformal:commenceOpposite finishendclear up
   • ▪ embark on a continuing action or a new venture: "I started to chat to him" Similar make a startbeginmake a beginningtake the first steplay the first stonemake the first moveget goinggo aheadset things movingtake something forwardbuckle to/downturn toput one's shoulder to the wheelput one's hand to the ploughstart/get/set the ball rollinginformal:get movingget crackingget stuck inget down to itget to itget down to businessget one's finger outget the show on the roadtake the plungekick offpitch inget off one's backsidefire awayget weavingformal:commenceOpposite stophang aboutgive up
   • ▪ use a particular point, action, or circumstance as an opening for a course of action: "the teacher can start by capitalizing on children's curiosity"
   • ▪ begin to move or travel: "we started out into the snow" Similar set offset outstart outset forthbegin one's journeyget on the roaddepartleaveget under waymake a startsally forthembarksailinformal:hit the roadhit the trailpush offarchaic:set forwardOpposite arrivestay
   • ▪ begin to engage in (an occupation), live through (a period), or attend (an educational establishment): "she will start school today"
   • ▪ cost at least a specified amount: "fees start at £300"
   • 2. (of event or process) happen or come into being: "the fire started in the building's upper floor" Similar come into beingbeginbe borncome into existenceappeararrivecome forthemergeeruptburst outariseoriginatebreakunfolddevelopcrop upfirst see the light of dayformal:commenceOpposite endclear up
   • ▪ cause (an event or process) to happen: "two men started the blaze that caused the explosion" Similar establishset upfoundlay the foundations oflay the cornerstone oflay the first stone ofsow the seeds ofcreatebring into beinginstituteinitiateinaugurateintroduceopenbeginlaunchfloatkick-startput in placeget something off the groundget something goingget something movingget something workingget something functioningactivateoriginatepioneerorganizemastermindembark onmake a start ontackleset aboutinformal:kick something offOpposite endwind up
   • ▪ (of a machine) begin operating or being used: "what should I do if the engine won't start again?" Similar begin workingstart functioningget goingstart operatingOpposite stop
   • ▪ cause (a machine) to begin to work: "we had trouble starting the car" Similar activateset in motionswitch onturn onfire upenergizeactuateset offstart offget/set something going/movingstart something functioningstart something operatingkick-startOpposite stopclose down
   • ▪ cause or enable (someone or something) to begin doing or pursuing something: "his father started him in business"
   • ▪ give a signal to (competitors) to start in a race.
   • 3. jerk or give a small jump from surprise or alarm: "‘Oh my!’ she said, starting" Similar flinchjerkjumptwitchrecoilshrinkblenchwinceshy
   • ▪ move or appear suddenly: literary "she had seen Meg start suddenly from a thicket" Similar jumpleapspringbounddashchargepouncediverushdart
   • ▪ (of eyes) bulge so as to appear to burst out of their sockets: "his eyes started out of his head like a hare's"
   • ▪ be displaced or displace by pressure or shrinkage: "the mortar in the joints had started"
   • ▪ rouse (game) from its lair.

   noun

   • 1. the point in time or space at which something has its origin; the beginning: "he takes over as chief executive at the start of next year" Similar beginninginceptiononsetemergence(first) appearancearrivaleruptiondawnbirthestablishmentfoundationinstitutionoriginationinaugurationinductioncreationopeninglaunchfloatfloatinginformal:kick-offformal:commencementoriginsourcerootstarting pointgermseedsbeginninggenesiscausereasonmotivationmotivefons et origoliterary:fountainheadwellspringfount
   • ▪ the point or moment at which a race begins: "make sure you are not over the line at the start"
   • ▪ an act of beginning to do or deal with something: "I can make a start on cleaning up"
   • ▪ used to indicate that a useful initial contribution has been made but that more remains to be done: "if he would tell her who had put him up to it, it would be a start"
   • ▪ a person's position or circumstances at the beginning of their life: "she's anxious to give her baby the best start in life" Similar advantageous beginningflying startopeningopportunitychancehelping handencouragementliftassistancesupportboostkick-startinformal:breakleg up
   • ▪ an advantage consisting in having set out in a race or on a journey earlier than one's rivals: "he had a ninety-minute start on them" Similar leadhead startadvantageadvantageous position
   • 2. a sudden movement of surprise or alarm: "she awoke with a start" Similar jerktwitchflinchwincespasmconvulsionjump
   • ▪ a surprising occurrence: dated "you hear of some rum starts there"

   Word Origin Old Englishstyrtan ‘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.’.

   Scrabble Points: 5

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   • T

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   • A

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   • R

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   • T

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