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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

START, v.t.
1. To move suddenly, as if by a twitch; as, to start in sleep or by a sudden spasm.
2. To move suddenly, as by an involuntary shrinking from sudden fear or alarm.
I start as from some dreadful dream.
3. To move with sudden quickness, as with a spring or leap.
A spirit fit to start into an empire, and look the world to law.
4. To shrink; to wince.
But if he start, it is the flesh of a corrupted heart.
5. To move suddenly aside; to deviate; generally with from, out of, or aside.
Th old drudging sun from his long beaten way shall at thy voice start and misguide the day.
Keep your soul to the work when ready to start aside.
6. To set out; to commence a race, as from a barrier or goal. The horses started at the word, go.
At once they start, advancing in a line.
7. To set out; to commence a journey or enterprise. The public coaches start at six oclock.
When two start into the world together--
To start up, to rise suddenly, as from a seat or couch; or to come suddenly into notice or importance.
START, v.t.
1. To alarm; to disturb suddenly; to startle; to rouse.
Upon malicious bravery dost thou come, to start my quiet?
2. To rouse suddenly from concealment; to cause to flee or fly; as, to start a hare or a woodcock; to start game.
3. To bring into motion; to produce suddenly to view or notice.
Brutus will start a spirit as soon as Cesar.
The present occasion has started the dispute among us.
So we say, to start a question, to start an objection; that is, to suggest or propose anew.
4. To invent or discover; to bring within pursuit.
Sensual men agree in the pursuit of every pleasure they can start.
5. To move suddenly from its place; to dislocate; as, to start a bone.
One started the end of the clavicle from the sternum.
6. To empty, as liquor from a cask; to pour out; as, to start wine into another cask.
START, n.
1. A sudden motion of the body, produced by spasm; a sudden twitch or spasmodic affection; as a start in sleep.
2. A sudden motion from alarm.
The fright awakend Arcite with a start.
3. A sudden rousing to action; a spring; excitement.
Now fear I this will give it start again.
4. Sally; sudden motion or effusion; a bursting forth; as starts of fancy.
To check the starts and sallies of the soul.
5. Sudden fit; sudden motion followed by intermission.
For she did speak in starts distractedly.
Nature does nothing by starts and leaps, or in a hurry.
6. A quick spring; a darting; a shoot; a push; as, to give a start.
Both cause the string to give a quicker start.
7. First in motion from a place; act of setting out.
The start of first performance is all.
You stand like grayhounds in the slips, straining upon the start.
To get the start, to begin before another; to gain the advantage in a similar undertaking.
Get the start of the majestic world.
She might have forsaken him, if he had not got the start of her.
START, n. A projection; a push; a horn; a tail. IN the latter sense it occurs int he name of the bird red-start. Hence the Start, in Devonshire.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

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]

Merriam Webster's

abbreviation strategic arms reduction talks

Merriam Webster's

I. verb Etymology: Middle English sterten; akin to Middle High German sterzen to stand up stiffly, move quickly Date: 14th century intransitive verb 1. a. to move suddenly and violently ; spring <started angrily to his feet> b. to react with a sudden brief involuntary movement <started when a shot rang out> 2. a. to issue with sudden force <blood starting from the wound> b. to come into being, activity, or operation <when does the movie start> <the rain started up again> 3. to protrude or seem to protrude <eyes starting from their sockets> 4. to become loosened or forced out of place <one of the planks has started> 5. a. to begin a course or journey <started toward the door> <just starting out> b. to range from a specified initial point <the rates start at $10> 6. to begin an activity or undertaking; especially to begin work 7. to be a participant in a game or contest; especially to be in the starting lineup transitive verb 1. to cause to leave a place of concealment ; flush <start a rabbit> 2. archaic startle, alarm 3. to bring up for consideration or discussion 4. to bring into being <start a rumor> 5. to cause to become loosened or displaced 6. to begin the use of <start a fresh loaf of bread> 7. a. to cause to move, act, or operate <start the motor> b. to cause to enter a game or contest; especially to put in the starting lineup c. to care for or train during the early stages of growth and development <started plants> <a well-started coonhound> 8. to do or experience the first stages or actions of <started studying music at the age of five> Synonyms: see begin II. noun Date: 14th century 1. a. a sudden involuntary bodily movement or reaction <woke with a start> b. a brief and sudden action or movement c. a sudden capricious impulse or outburst 2. a beginning of movement, activity, or development <a false start> <housing starts> 3. head start 4. a place of beginning 5. the act or an instance of being a competitor in a race or a member of a starting lineup in a game <undefeated in six starts — Current Biography>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

abbr. Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (or Talks).

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. & n. --v. 1 tr. & intr. begin; commence (started work; started crying; started to shout; the play starts at eight). 2 tr. set (proceedings, an event, etc.) in motion (start the meeting; started a fire). 3 intr. (often foll. by on) make a beginning (started on a new project). 4 intr. (often foll. by after, for) set oneself in motion or action ('wait!' he shouted, and started after her). 5 intr. set out; begin a journey etc. (we start at 6 a.m.). 6 (often foll. by up) a intr. (of a machine) begin operating (the car wouldn't start). b tr. cause (a machine etc.) to begin operating (tried to start the engine). 7 tr. a cause or enable (a person) to make a beginning (with something) (started me in business with £10,000). b (foll. by pres. part.) cause (a person) to begin (doing something) ( the smoke started me coughing). c Brit. colloq. complain or be critical (don't you start). 8 tr. (often foll. by up) found or establish; originate. 9 intr. (foll. by at, with) have as the first of a series of items, e.g. in a meal (we started with soup). 10 tr. give a signal to (competitors) to start in a race. 11 intr. (often foll. by up, from, etc.) make a sudden movement from surprise, pain, etc. (started at the sound of my voice). 12 intr. (foll. by out, up, from, etc.) spring out, up, etc. (started up from the chair). 13 tr. conceive (a baby). 14 tr. rouse (game etc.) from its lair. 15 a intr. (of timbers etc.) spring from their proper position; give way. b tr. cause or experience (timbers etc.) to do this. 16 intr. (foll. by out, to, etc.) (of a thing) move or appear suddenly (tears started to his eyes). 17 intr. (foll. by from) (of eyes, usu. with exaggeration) burst forward (from their sockets etc.). 18 tr. pour out (liquor) from a cask. --n. 1 a beginning of an event, action, journey, etc. (missed the start; an early start tomorrow; made a fresh start). 2 the place from which a race etc. begins. 3 an advantage given at the beginning of a race etc. (a 15-second start). 4 an advantageous initial position in life, business, etc. (a good start in life). 5 a sudden movement of surprise, pain, etc. (you gave me a start). 6 an intermittent or spasmodic effort or movement (esp. in or by fits and starts). 7 colloq. a surprising occurrence (a queer start; a rum start). Phrases and idioms: for a start colloq. as a beginning; in the first place. get the start of gain an advantage over. start a hare see HARE. start in colloq. 1 begin. 2 (foll. by on) US make a beginning on. start off 1 begin; commence (started off on a lengthy monologue). 2 begin to move (it's time we started off). start out 1 begin a journey. 2 colloq. (foll. by to + infin.) proceed as intending (to do something). start over US begin again. start school attend school for the first time. start something colloq. cause trouble. start up arise; occur. to start with 1 in the first place; before anything else is considered (should never have been there to start with). 2 at the beginning (had six members to start with). Etymology: OE (orig. in sense 11) f. Gmc

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Start Start, n. 1. The act of starting; a sudden spring, leap, or motion, caused by surprise, fear, pain, or the like; any sudden motion, or beginning of motion. The fright awakened Arcite with a start. --Dryden. 2. A convulsive motion, twitch, or spasm; a spasmodic effort. For she did speak in starts distractedly. --Shak. Nature does nothing by starts and leaps, or in a hurry. --L'Estrange. 3. A sudden, unexpected movement; a sudden and capricious impulse; a sally; as, starts of fancy. To check the starts and sallies of the soul. --Addison. 4. The beginning, as of a journey or a course of action; first motion from a place; act of setting out; the outset; -- opposed to finish. The start of first performance is all. --Bacon. I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips, Straining upon the start. --Shak. At a start, at once; in an instant. [Obs.] At a start he was betwixt them two. --Chaucer. To get, or have, the start, to before another; to gain or have the advantage in a similar undertaking; -- usually with of. ``Get the start of the majestic world.'' --Shak. ``She might have forsaken him if he had not got the start of her.'' --Dryden.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Start Start, v. i. [imp. & p. p. started; p. pr. & vb. n. starting.] [OE. sterten; akin to D. storten 8hurl, rush, fall, G. st["u]rzen, OHG. sturzen to turn over, to fall, Sw. st["o]ra to cast down, to fall, Dan. styrte, and probably also to E. start a tail; the original sense being, perhaps, to show the tail, to tumble over suddenly. [root]166. Cf. Start a tail.] 1. To leap; to jump. [Obs.] 2. To move suddenly, as with a spring or leap, from surprise, pain, or other sudden feeling or emotion, or by a voluntary act. And maketh him out of his sleep to start. --Chaucer. I start as from some dreadful dream. --Dryden. Keep your soul to the work when ready to start aside. --I. Watts. But if he start, It is the flesh of a corrupted heart. --Shak. 3. To set out; to commence a course, as a race or journey; to begin; as, to start business. 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. 4. To become somewhat displaced or loosened; as, a rivet or a seam may start under strain or pressure. 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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Start Start, v. t. 1. To cause to move suddenly; to disturb suddenly; to startle; to alarm; to rouse; to cause to flee or fly; as, the hounds started a fox. Upon malicious bravery dost thou come To start my quiet? --Shak. Brutus will start a spirit as soon as C[ae]sar. --Shak. 2. To bring onto being or into view; to originate; to invent. Sensual men agree in the pursuit of every pleasure they can start. --Sir W. Temple. 3. To cause to move or act; to set going, running, or flowing; as, to start a railway train; to start a mill; to start a stream of water; to start a rumor; to start a business. I was engaged in conversation upon a subject which the people love to start in discourse. --Addison. 4. To move suddenly from its place or position; to displace or loosen; to dislocate; as, to start a bone; the storm started the bolts in the vessel. One, by a fall in wrestling, started the end of the clavicle from the sternum. --Wiseman. 5. [Perh. from D. storten, which has this meaning also.] (Naut.) To pour out; to empty; to tap and begin drawing from; as, to start a water cask.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Start Start, n. [OE. stert a tail, AS. steort; akin to LG. stert, steert, D. staart, G. sterz, Icel. stertr, Dan. stiert, Sw. stjert. [root]166. Cf. Stark naked, under Stark, Start, v. i.] 1. A tail, or anything projecting like a tail. 2. The handle, or tail, of a plow; also, any long handle. [Prov. Eng.] 3. The curved or inclined front and bottom of a water-wheel bucket. 4. (Mining) The arm, or level, of a gin, drawn around by a horse.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(starts, starting, started) Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. If you start to do something, you do something that you were not doing before and you continue doing it. John then unlocked the front door and I started to follow him up the stairs... It was 1956 when Susanna started the work on the garden... She started cleaning the kitchen. = begin VERB: V to-inf, V n/-ing, V n/-ing • Start is also a noun. After several starts, she read the report properly. N-COUNT 2. When something starts, or if someone starts it, it takes place from a particular time. The fire is thought to have started in an upstairs room... The Great War started in August of that year... All of the passengers started the day with a swim. = begin VERB: V prep, V prep, V n • Start is also a noun. ...1918, four years after the start of the Great War... She demanded to know why she had not been told from the start. = beginning N-SING: the N 3. If you start by doing something, or if you start with something, you do that thing first in a series of actions. I started by asking how many day-care centers were located in the United States... He started with a good holiday in Key West, Florida. = begin VERB: V by -ing, V with n 4. You use start to say what someone's first job was. For example, if their first job was that of a factory worker, you can say that they started as a factory worker. Betty started as a shipping clerk at the clothes factory... VERB: V as n • Start off means the same as start. Mr. Dambar had started off as an assistant to Mrs. Spear's husband. PHRASAL VERB: V P as n 5. When someone starts something such as a new business, they create it or cause it to begin. Now is probably as good a time as any to start a business. VERB: V n • Start up means the same as start. The cost of starting up a day care center for children ranges from $150,000 to $300,000... He said what a good idea it would be to start a community magazine up. = set up PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V n P see also start-up 6. If you start an engine, car, or machine, or if it starts, it begins to work. He started the car, which hummed smoothly... We were just passing one of the parking bays when a car's engine started. VERB: V n, V • Start up means the same as start. He waited until they went inside the building before starting up the car and driving off... Put the key in the ignition and turn it to start the car up... The engine of the seaplane started up. PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V n P, V P 7. If you start, your body suddenly moves slightly as a result of surprise or fear. She put the bottle on the table, banging it down hard. He started at the sound... VERB: V • Start is also a noun. Sylvia woke with a start... He gave a start of surprise and astonishment. N-COUNT: usu sing 8. see also head start, false start 9. You use for a start or to start with to introduce the first of a number of things or reasons that you want to mention or could mention. You must get her name and address, and that can be a problem for a start... PHRASE: PHR with cl/group 10. If you get off to a good start, you are successful in the early stages of doing something. If you get off to a bad start, you are not successful in the early stages of doing something. The new Prime Minister has got off to a good start, but he still has to demonstrate what manner of leader he is going to be... PHRASE: V inflects 11. To start with means at the very first stage of an event or process. To start with, the pressure on her was very heavy, but it's eased off a bit now... PHRASE: PHR with cl 12. in fits and starts: see fit to get off to a flying start: see flying

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. n. 1. Shrink, flinch, wince, startle. 2. Depart, set out, set off. 3. Arise, come into existence suddenly. 4. Deviate, digress, differ. 5. Move suddenly, spring, startle. II. v. a. 1. Rouse, alarm, startle, disturb, fright, scare. 2. Evoke, raise, call forth. 3. Begin, initiate, institute, set on foot. 4. Discover, invent. 5. Move (suddenly), dislocate. III. n. 1. Startle, sudden motion. 2. Fit, spasmodic effort, twitch, spasm. 3. Beginning, outset. 4. Excitement, stimulus. 5. Sally, sudden effusion, impulse. 6. Shoot, quick spring.

Moby Thesaurus

A, activate, advance, advantage, aid, allowance, alpha, arise, assistance, attack, avoid, backing, base, basis, be off, be startled, beat, beget, begin, beginning, beginnings, birth, blanch, blast away, blast off, blast-off, blench, blink, bob, boggle, bolt, border line, bounce, bound, boundary, boundary condition, boundary line, bourn, break, break boundary, break open, break up, breakoff point, bring before, bring forward, bring up, broach, buck, buckjump, bulge, bundle, bundle off, burst, capriole, carry away, ceiling, chance, chase, circumscription, clear, coign of vantage, come apart, come off, come undone, come unstuck, come up, commence, commencement, commend to attention, compass, confine, constitute, course, crack, crack up, create, creation, cringe, crop up, curvet, cutoff, cutoff point, cutting edge, dart, dawn, dawning, deadline, deadwood, delimitation, depart, determinant, develop, disintegrate, dive in, dive into, division line, dodge, dog, draw, draw back, drive, drop, duck, edge, embark, embark on, emerge, emergence, encouragement, end, enter, enter on, enter upon, establish, establishment, evade, extremity, fade, falcon, fall back, fall off, fall to, fall to pieces, father, fight shy, financing, finish, fissure, flick, flinch, flip, flirt, float, floor, flounce, flush, fly apart, flying start, follow the hounds, found, foundation, founding, fowl, fracture, fresh start, frontier, genesis, get busy, get going, get loose, get off, get to, get under way, get with it, give a start, give away, give birth to, give way, go, go ahead, go forth, go hunting, go to it, go to pieces, gun, handicap, hang back, hawk, head into, head start, hedge, help, high-water mark, hippety-hop, hit the road, hitch, hop, hop to it, hound, hunt, hunt down, hurdle, inaugurate, inauguration, inception, initiate, initiation, inside track, institute, institution, interface, introduce, issue, issue forth, jack, jacklight, jar, jerk, jib, jig, jiggle, jog, joggle, jolt, jump, jump a mile, jump off, jump over, jump to it, jump-off, kick off, kick-off, launch, launch into, lay before, lead, leading edge, leap, leap over, leapfrog, leave, light into, limen, limit, limitation, limiting factor, line, line of demarcation, line of departure, low-water mark, lower limit, make a motion, march, mark, mete, moot, move, negotiate, new departure, odds, offer a resolution, oncoming, onset, open, open up, opening, opportunity, organize, origin, originate, origination, outbreak, outset, outsetting, outstart, overjump, overleap, overskip, panic, peel off, pitch in, pitch into, pluck, plunge into, point of departure, port of embarkation, pose, postulate, pounce, pounce on, pounce upon, prefer, proceed, propose, proposition, propound, protrude, prowl after, pull back, put forth, put forward, put in motion, put it to, quail, recoil, recommend, reel back, retreat, ride to hounds, rise, run, running start, rupture, sail into, sally, sally forth, send, send forth, send off, send-off, set about, set afloat, set agoing, set at, set before, set forth, set forward, set going, set in, set in motion, set off, set on foot, set out, set sail, set to, set to work, set up, setoff, setout, setting in motion, setting-up, sheer off, shikar, shock, shoot, shrink, shrink back, shy, sidestep, skedaddle, ski jump, skip, snap, snatch, something extra, something in reserve, split, sponsorship, sport, spring, spring a leak, spring apart, square one, squinch, stalk, stampede, start aside, start back, start going, start in, start off, start out, start up, start-off, starting, starting gate, starting line, starting place, starting point, starting post, startle, steeplechase, stick out, still-hunt, strike out, submit, sudden pull, suggest, swerve, switch on, tackle, take off, take on, take up, take-off, takeoff, target date, term, terminal date, terminus, threshold, time allotment, track, trail, turn, turn aside, turn on, turn to, tweak, twitch, undertake, unravel, updive, upleap, upper hand, upper limit, upspring, vantage, vantage ground, vantage point, vault, wade into, weasel, weasel out, whip hand, wince, wrench, yank, yerk