1. (

• get_down ,
• begin ,
• get ,
• start_out ,
• start ,
• set_about ,
• set_out ,
• commence

) 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" ;

2. (

• begin ,
• lead_off ,
• start ,
• commence ,

) 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" ;

3. (

• depart ,
• part ,
• start ,
• start_out ,
• set_forth ,
• set_off ,
• set_out ,
• take_off

) leave; "The family took off for Florida" ;

4. (

• begin ,
• start

) 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" ;

5. (

• originate ,
• initiate ,
• start

) bring into being; "He initiated a new program"; "Start a foundation" ;

6. (

• start ,
• start_up ,
• embark_on ,
• commence

) 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" ;

7. (

• startle ,
• jump ,
• start ,

) move or jump suddenly, as if in surprise or alarm; "She startled when I walked into the room" ;

8. (

• start ,
• start_up

) get going or set in motion; "We simply could not start the engine"; "start up the computer" ;

9. (

• start ,
• go ,
• get_going

) begin or set in motion; "I start at eight in the morning"; "Ready, set, go!" ;

10. (

• start ,
• take_up

) begin work or acting in a certain capacity, office or job; "Take up a position"; "start a new job" ;

11. (

• start

) play in the starting lineup ;

12. (

• begin ,
• start ,

) 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" ;

13. (

• begin ,
• start ,

) 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" ;

14. (

• start ,
• protrude ,
• pop ,
• pop_out ,
• bulge ,
• bulge_out ,
• bug_out ,
• come_out

) bulge outward; "His eyes popped" ;