Start

[imp. & p. p. STARTED; p. pr. & vb. n. STARTING.] [O. Eng. stirte, sterte, L. Ger. storten, störten, D. storten, Sw. störta, Dan. styrte, O. H. Ger. sturzan, N. H. Ger. stürzen, to hurl, rush, fall, allied to the root of stir, q. v.]

1Sense 1. To move suddenly, as with a spring or leap, from surprise, pain, or other sudden feeling or emotion, or by a voluntary act.

I start as from some dreadful dream. Dryden.

A spirit fit to start into an empire, And look the world to law. Dryden.

Keep your soul to the work when ready to start aside. Watts.

2Sense 2. To shrink; to wince.

But if he start, It is the flesh of a corrupted heart. Shak.

3Sense 3. To set out; to commence a course, as a race or journey; to begin.

At once they start, advancing in a line. Dryden.

At intervals some bird from out the brakes Starts into voice a moment, then is still. Byron.

To start after, to set out after; to follow; to pursue. — To start against, to act as a rival candidate against. — To start for, to be a candidate for, as an office. — To start up, to rise suddenly, as from a seat or couch; to come suddenly into notice or importance.

v. t. 1. To cause to move suddenly; to alarm; to disturb suddenly; to startle; to rouse; to cause to flee or fly.

Upon malicious bravery dost thou come To start my quiet? Shak.

2Sense 2. To bring into motion; to produce suddenly to view or notice.

Brutus will start a spirit as soon as Cesar. Shak. The present occasion has started the dispute among us. Lesley.

3Sense 3. To invent or discover; to bring within pursuit.

Sensual men agree in the pursuit of every pleasure they can start. Sir W. Temple.

4Sense 4. To move suddenly from its place; to dislocate; as, to start a bone.

One started the end of the clavicle from the sternum. Wiseman.

5Sense 5. (Naut.) (a.) To empty, as liquor from a cask; to pour out; as, to start wine into another cask. (b.) To quicken or give a start to by punishing with a rope’s end, as for laziness, or slowness.

n. 1. A sudden spring, leap, or motion, occasioned by surprise, fear, pain, or the like; any sudden motion, or beginning of motion.

Now fear I this will give it start again. Shak.

2Sense 2. A convulsive motion, twitch, or spasm; a sudden fit; a spasmodic effort.

For she did speak in starts distractedly. Shak.

Nature does nothing by starts and leaps, or in a hurry. L’Estrange.

3Sense 3. A wanton or unexpected movement; a sally; as, starts of fancy. “To check the starts and sallies of the soul.” Addison.

4Sense 4. The beginning of a journey or course of action; first motion from a place; act of setting out; the outset.

The start of first performance is all. Bacon.

You stand like greyhounds in the slips, Straining upon the start. Shak.

To get or have the start, to begin before another; to gain or have the advantage in a similar undertaking. “Get the start of the majestic world.” Shak. “She might have forsaken him, if he had not got the start of her.” Dryden.

[A-S. steort, a tail, an extremity, L. Ger. stert, steert, D. staart, O. D. steert, Icel. stertr, Dan. stjärt, Sw. stjert, N. H. Ger. sterz, a tail.]

1Sense 1. A projection; a push; a horn; a tail.

2Sense 2. The handle or tail of a plow; also, any long handle. [Prov. Eng.]