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.
Start
(Start), n. [OE. stert a tail, AS. steort; akin to LG. stert, steert, D. staart, G. sterz, Icel. stertr,
Dan. stiert, Sw. stjert. &radic166. 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.
Starter
(Start"er), n.
1. One who, or that which, starts; as, a starter on a journey; the starter of a race.
2. A dog that rouses game.
Startful
(Start"ful) a. Apt to start; skittish. [R.]
Startfulness
(Start"ful*ness), n. Aptness to start. [R.]
Starthroat
(Star"throat`) n. (Zoöl.) Any humming bird of the genus Heliomaster. The feathers of the
throat have a brilliant metallic luster.
Starting
(Start"ing) a. & n. from Start, v.
Starting bar (Steam Eng.),
a hand lever for working the values in starting an engine. — Starting
hole, a loophole; evasion. [Obs.] — Starting point, the point from which motion begins, or from which
anything starts. — Starting post, a post, stake, barrier, or place from which competitors in a race
start, or begin the race.
Startingly
(Start"ing*ly), adv. By sudden fits or starts; spasmodically. Shak.
Startish
(Start"ish), a. Apt to start; skittish; shy; — said especially of a horse. [Colloq.]
Startle
(Star"tle) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Startled ; p. pr. & vb. n. Startling ] [Freq. of start.] To move
suddenly, or be excited, on feeling alarm; to start.
Why shrinks the soul
Back on herself, and startles at destruction?
Addison. Startle
(Star"tle) v. t.