Start Meaning
/stɑːt/Definition, CEFR level A1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounThe beginning of an activity.
nounA sudden involuntary movement.
Sentence Examples
Do you believe war will start?
You should start as early as you can.
The local community supported us from the start.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The marathon runners will ____ the race immediately after the starting gun fires.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
We need to leave early tomorrow morning so that we can get a good ____ on our long road trip.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English stert, from the verb sterten (“to start, startle”). See below.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips, / Straining upon the start."
— 1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:
"Nature does nothing by starts and leaps, or in a hurry."
— 1692, Roger L’Estrange, “ (please specify the fable number.) (please specify the name of the fable.)”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: […] R[ichard] Sare, […], →OCLC:
"The sight of his scared face, his starts and pallors and sudden harkenings, unstrung me […]"
— 1885, Robert Louis Stevenson, Olalla:
"Wilshere, who made his first start for England in the midweek friendly win over Denmark, raced into the penalty area and chose to cross rather than shoot - one of the very few poor selections he made in the match."
— 2011 February 12, Ian Hughes, “Arsenal 2 - 0 Wolverhampton”, in BBC:
"You generally see nursery starts at garden centres in mid to late spring. Small annual plants are generally sold in four-packs or larger packs, with each cell holding a single young plant."
— 2009, Liz Primeau, Steven A. Frowine, Gardening Basics For Canadians For Dummies:
Explore More A1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The marathon runners will ____ the race immediately after the starting gun fires.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
We need to leave early tomorrow morning so that we can get a good ____ on our long road trip.