start

STAHRT/stɑɹt/STAHT/stɑːt/

Verbstarts, starting, started

Noun pluralstarts

23 meanings of start

Practice

1
beginverbtransitive or intransitive
To begin doing something, or to begin to happen.
We start work at nine every morning.
The movie started before we found our seats.
UsageSay start to rain or start raining; both are fine.
Similarbegin, commence
Oppositefinish, end, stop, cease
2
beginningnouncountable
The beginning of something, or a time when something is made to begin.
The start of the school year is always busy.
We missed the start because the bus was late.
UsageSay at the start of the year, or from start to finish.
Similarbeginning, outset, opening
Oppositeend, finish, conclusion, close
Note
3
verbintransitive
To begin at a certain place, point, or level.
The trail starts behind the old church.
Prices start at ten dollars.
UsageSay prices start at ten dollars.
Similarbegin
Oppositeend, finish
Note
4
bring into beingverbtransitive
To make something begin or exist, such as a business, a club, or a new habit.
They started a small bakery near the station.
Our school wants to start a chess club this fall.
UsageThe phrase start a family usually means to begin having children.
Similarfound, establish, launch, begin, create
Oppositeend, stop, close, dissolve
Note
5
get runningverbtransitive or intransitive
To make a car, engine, or machine begin to run, or of a machine, to begin running.
He could not start the car in the cold.
The engine started on the second try.
Oppositestop
6
first-team gameverbtransitive
In sports, to play from the beginning of a game, or to choose a player to do this.
The coach decided to start the new goalkeeper.
The manager started her in goal for the first time.
Similarfield, play, pick, select
Oppositebench, drop
Note
7
nouncountable
A time when a player or horse takes part in a game or race from the beginning.
The young goalkeeper made her first start for the team.
The horse won five of its eight starts.
UsageSay she made her first start for the team.
Note
8
nouncountable
The place where a race or a game begins.
The runners lined up at the start.
Go back to the start and roll the dice again.
UsageSay go back to the start.
Similarbeginning
Oppositefinish, end

Less common meanings

9
nouncountable
The chance or help someone gets to begin something well, like their life or their job.
Her parents worked hard to give her a good start in life.
He got his start in music singing at his uncle's restaurant.
UsageSay a good start in life, or she got her start in radio.
Similarbreak, chance, opportunity
Note
10
a joltnouncountable
A sudden small jump of the body, usually because something surprises or frightens a person.
She woke with a start when the door banged.
The loud noise gave him a start.
UsageSay you woke with a start.
Similarjolt, jump, jerk, fright, scare
Note
11
jump in surpriseverbintransitive
To jump or move suddenly because you are surprised or scared, or to wake up suddenly.
The dog started at the sound of thunder.
I start every time the phone rings at night.
UsageYou can use jump instead of start for a sudden movement caused by surprise.
Similarjump, flinch, startle, jerk, recoil
Note
12
edge over rivalsnouncountable
An advantage gained by beginning something earlier than other people.
Count to fifty to give the others a start before you go looking for them.
She had a good start on the rest of the field.
UsageA head start means the same and is more common.
Similaradvantage, lead, edge, jump
Oppositedisadvantage, handicap
13
young plantnouncountable
A young plant grown in a small pot, ready to be planted outside.
We bought tomato starts at the garden center in May.
A healthy start has strong roots and a thick stem.
UsageSay tomato starts.
Similarseedling, transplant, plug
Note
14
raise topicverbtransitive
To bring up a subject or question so that people begin to discuss it.
Similarraise, broach, introduce, pose, prompt
15
monthly bleedingverbeuphemisticintransitive
To begin having periods, or to begin a monthly period.
Since she started last spring, her periods have been fairly regular.
If you start while you are at school, ask the nurse for help.
UsageSay she has started when the people talking already know you mean periods.
Similarmenstruate
Note
16
scare outverbtransitive
To frighten an animal so that it suddenly moves or runs away.
The dogs started a rabbit from the hedge.
Keep the dog on a leash, or he'll start every rabbit in the field.
Similarflush, rouse, startle, scare, drive
Note
17
come looseverbtransitive or intransitive
To come loose from a fixed place, or to make something come loose.
One, by a fall in wrestling, started the end of the clavicle from the sternon.
1676, Richard Wiseman, Severall Chirurgicall Treatises
the storm started the bolts in the vessel
Similarloosen, spring, dislodge, shift
Oppositetighten, secure
Note
18
empty barrelverbtransitive
On a ship, to empty a barrel, or to open it and begin taking liquid out.
The crew started the last water cask on the tenth day.
The sailors had to start a cask of fresh water for the boats.
Similarempty, drain, broach, tap
Note
19
nouncountable
A part that sticks out from something, such as a handle or a point.
Similarprojection, protrusion, handle, lug, spur
Note
20
nounarchaicUK
In old British slang, an event or situation, especially a strange one.
Note
21
adverbarchaic
An old dialect word meaning completely or totally, as in 'start mad'.
Col.—The age has no sense—the people are start mad—as mad as a March mare. We should have fine times, indeed if our laws did'nt compel the poor people to protect the property of the rich.
1828, “Militia System”, in The New England FarmerHere, start means completely, as in completely mad.
Note
22
noun
The curved front and bottom part of a bucket on a water wheel.
The fall of water is 6 feet, and the radius of the curve is 8 feet, from the centre of the water-wheel to the extreme point of the start.
1845, Captain R.E. Crawley, Description of a Water-CourseHere, start means the curved front and bottom of a water wheel bucket.
23
noun
The long arm of a horse-powered machine, which the horse pulls around in a circle.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of start apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 2, 7–10, 12–13, 20

From the Middle English word stert, from the verb sterten meaning "to start."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

The noun start derives from Middle English stert, itself from the verb sterten. en.wiktionary.org
Middle English sterten meant “to start.” en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 1, 3–6, 11, 14–18

The Old English word styrtan meant "to leap up." It later became sterten, "to leap up suddenly," in Middle English.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

Old English styrtan meant “to leap up.” en.wiktionary.org
Old English styrtan developed into Middle English sterten, meaning “to leap up suddenly.” en.wiktionary.org

Meaning 19

From Middle English stert, "tail or handle," from Old English steort, from an old Germanic word meaning "tail."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

Start derives from Middle English stert, meaning tail or handle. en.wiktionary.org
Middle English stert derives from Old English steort. en.wiktionary.org
Old English steort derives from an older Germanic word meaning tail. en.wiktionary.org

Meaning 21

An old dialect form of stark, meaning completely.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

Start is a variant of stark. en.wiktionary.org
This form is old and dialectal. en.wiktionary.org
Stark means completely. en.wiktionary.org