START

Multiple Entries:
  START    start  

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
START/stɑːt/

▶abbreviation Strategic Arms Reduction Talks.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
start/stɑːt/

▶verb

• 1 come or bring into being.

  ■ begin to do.

  ■ begin to move or travel.

  ■ begin to attend (a school, college, etc.) or engage in (an occupation).

• 2 cause to happen.

  ■ begin to operate.

  ■ cause or enable to begin doing something.

  ■ signal (competitors) to begin a race.

• 3 (start at) cost at least (a specified amount).

• 4 give a small jump or jerking movement from surprise.

  ■ literary move or appear suddenly.

  ■ rouse (game) from its lair.

  ■ (of eyes) bulge.

• 5 displace or be displaced by pressure or shrinkage.

▶noun

• 1 the beginning of something.

  ■ an act of beginning.

• 2 an advantage given at the beginning of a race.

• 3 a sudden movement of surprise.

  ■ dated a surprising occurrence.

– phrases
for a start in the first place.
start something informal cause trouble.
to start with as the first thing to be taken into account.

– phrasal verbs
start in informal begin doing something.

■ (start in on) N. Amer. begin to do or deal with.

■ (start in on) N. Amer. attack verbally.

start off (or start someone/thing off) begin (or cause someone or something to begin) working, operating, etc.
start on

• 1 begin to work on or deal with.

• 2 informal begin to talk in a critical or hostile way to.

start over N. Amer. make a new beginning.
start out (or up) embark on a venture or undertaking.

– origin OE styrtan ‘to caper, leap’, of Gmc origin.