start

n. [ OE. stert a tail, AS. steort; akin to LG. stert, steert, D. staart, G. sterz, Icel. stertr, Dan. stiert, Sw. stjert. √166. Cf. Stark naked, under Stark, Start, v. i. ] 1. A tail, or anything projecting like a tail. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The handle, or tail, of a plow; also, any long handle. [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The curved or inclined front and bottom of a water-wheel bucket. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Mining) The arm, or lever, of a gin, drawn around by a horse. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Upon malicious bravery dost thou come
To start my quiet? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Brutus will start a spirit as soon as Caesar. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To bring into being or into view; to originate; to invent. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sensual men agree in the pursuit of every pleasure they can start. Sir W. Temple. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

I was engaged in conversation upon a subject which the people love to start in discourse. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

One, by a fall in wrestling, started the end of the clavicle from the sternum. Wiseman. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

The fright awakened Arcite with a start. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A convulsive motion, twitch, or spasm; a spasmodic effort. [ 1913 Webster ]

For she did speak in starts distractedly. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Nature does nothing by starts and leaps, or in a hurry. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A sudden, unexpected movement; a sudden and capricious impulse; a sally; as, starts of fancy. [ 1913 Webster ]

To check the starts and sallies of the soul. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

The start of first performance is all. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

At a start, at once; in an instant. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

At a start he was betwixt them two. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

To get the start, or
To have the start, to begin 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. started; p. pr. & vb. n. starting. ] [ OE. sterten; akin to D. storten to hurl, rush, fall, G. stürzen, OHG. sturzen to turn over, to fall, Sw. störta 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. √166. Cf. Start a tail. ] 1. To leap; to jump. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To move suddenly, as with a spring or leap, from surprise, pain, or other sudden feeling or emotion, or by a voluntary act. [ 1913 Webster ]

And maketh him out of his sleep to start. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

I start as from some dreadful dream. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Keep your soul to the work when ready to start aside. I. Watts. [ 1913 Webster ]

But if he start,
It is the flesh of a corrupted heart. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To set out; to commence a course, as a race or journey; to begin; as, to start in business. [ 1913 Webster ]

At once they start, advancing in a line. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

At intervals some bird from out the brakes
Starts into voice a moment, then is still. Byron. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To become somewhat displaced or loosened; as, a rivet or a seam may start under strain or pressure. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who, or that which, starts; as, a starter on a journey; the starter of a race. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A dog that rouses game. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Apt to start; skittish. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Aptness to start. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) Any humming bird of the genus Heliomaster. The feathers of the throat have a brilliant metallic luster. [ 1913 Webster ]