◙ verb 1. [no obj.] come into being; begin or be reckoned from a particular point in time or space • 发生；开始 »the season starts in September. 该季节始于九月。 »we ate before the film started. 我们在电影开始前吃的饭。 »below Roaring Springs the real desert starts. 在罗灵斯普林斯以南才是真正沙漠的开始。 [with infinitive or present participle] embark on a continuing action or a new venture • 着手，从事，开始做（已进行的动作或新事业） »I started to chat to him. 我开始与他聊天。 »we plan to start building in the autumn. 我们计划在秋季动工。 use a particular point, action, or circumstance as an opening for a course of action • 出发点，起首，开端 »the teacher can start by capitalizing on children's curiosity. 老师可以利用孩子们的好奇心作为出发点。 »I shall start with the case you mention first. 我可以从你首先提到的那件事开始。 [no obj., with adverbial of direction] begin to move or travel • 开始走；启程，动身，出发 »we started out into the snow. 我们冒着雪出发了。 »he started for the door. 他向门边走去。 [with obj.] begin to attend (an educational establishment) or engage in (an occupation, especially a profession) • 开始（上学）；从事（某项职业） »she will start school today. 她今天要开始上学。 »he started work at a travel agent. 他开始在一家旅行社工作。 begin one's working life • 开始从事工作 »he started as a mess orderly. 他刚工作时是当炊事兵。 »he started off as doctor in the house. 他刚开始是做住院医生。 [with obj.] begin to live through (a period distinguished by a specified characteristic) • 开始度过，开始生活 »they started their married life. 他们开始过婚姻生活。 cost at least a specified amount • 起始；起头 »fees start at around £300. 费用起码要300英镑左右。 2. [with obj.] cause (an event or process) to happen • 使开始，使发生 »two men started the blaze which caused the explosion. 两人引燃的火苗导致爆炸。 »those women started all the trouble. 所有这些麻烦全是由那些女人引起的。 bring (a project or an institution) into being; cause to take effect or begin to work or operate • 开办，创办；使生效；开始工作（或运行） »I'm starting a campaign to get the law changed. 我正在发起一场运动以改变那项法律。 cause (a machine) to begin to work • 开动，发动（机器） »we had trouble starting the car. 我们发动汽车遇到麻烦。 »he starts up his van. 他发动了面包车。 [no obj.] (of a machine or device) begin operating or being used • （机器，装置）开始运行；开始启动 »the noise of a lorry starting up. 卡车的噪音开始响起来。 »there was a moment of silence before the organ started. 在风琴响起来以前有一会儿很安静。 cause or enable (someone or something) to begin doing or pursuing something • 使开始做，使从事 »his father started him off in business. 他父亲开始让他做生意。 »[with obj. and present participle] what he said started me thinking. 他的话引起了我的思考。 give a signal to (competitors) to start in a race • 向（竞赛者）发起跑信号 3. [no obj.] give a small jump or make a sudden jerking movement from surprise or alarm • 惊起，惊跳 »‘Oh my!’ she said, starting. 她吃惊地说：“哦！我的天。”。 [no obj., with adverbial of direction] (poetic／literary)move or appear suddenly • [诗／文] 突然出现；突然移动 »she had seen Meg start suddenly from a thicket. 她曾看到梅格从一片灌木丛中突然走了出来。 (of eyes) bulge so as to appear to burst out of their sockets • （眼睛）突起，鼓出 »his eyes started out of his head like a hare's. 他的眼睛像兔眼一样从脸上鼓起。 be displaced or displace by pressure or shrinkage • （通过压力或收缩）使松动，使脱落； »[noobj.] the mortar in the joints had started. 连接处的泥灰已经脱落了。 [with obj.] rouse (game) from its lair • 使（猎物）离巢，驱赶（猎物）出巢穴 ◙ noun, [usu. insing.] 1. the point in time or space at which something has its origin; the beginning of something • 开始，开端 »he takes over as chief executive at the start of next year. 明年年初他接任主管。 »the event was a shambles from start to finish. 那件事自始至终一团糟。 »his bicycle was found close to the start of a forest trail. 他的自行车是在靠近林中一条小道的起始处被发现的。 the point or moment at which a race begins • 起跑线；起跑时间 »make sure you are not over the line at the start. 开始，着手。 an act of beginning to do or deal with something • 开始，着手 »I can make a start on cleaning up. 我可以开始打扫卫生。 »an early start enabled us to avoid the traffic. 早出发可以使我们避开交通堵塞。 used to indicate that a useful initial contribution has been made but that more remains to be done • 良好开端，好的开始 »if he would tell her who had put him up to it, it would be a start. 如果他愿意告诉她是谁怂恿他干那件事的，那么这将是一个好的开端。 a person's position or circumstances at the beginning of their life, especially a position of advantage • 有利形势，有利条件 »she's anxious to give her baby the best start in life. 她渴望给她的宝宝一生中最好的开端。 an advantage consisting in having set out in a race or on journey earlier than one's rivals or opponents • （赛跑或旅行中）先起跑的优势；先出发的优势 »he would have a ninety-minute start on them. 他有比他们早出发90分钟的优势。 2. a sudden movement of surprise or alarm • 惊跳，惊起 »she awoke with a start. 她猛然惊醒。 »the woman gave a nervous start. 那女人吓得神经兮兮的。 [dated] a surprising occurrence • [旧] 惊人的事 »you hear of some rum starts there. 你会听到一些那里的怪人怪事。
【IDIOMS】
◘ don't start (或 don't you start) 1. [informal] used to tell someone not to grumble or criticize • [非正式] 告诉（某人）不要发牢骚（或指责） »don't start—I do my fair share. 不要发牢骚，我做我应该做的那一份。 ◘ for a start 1. [informal] used to introduce or emphasize the first or most important of a number of considerations • [非正式] 首先；一开始 »this side are at an advantage—for a start, there are more of them. 这一边处于优势，首先是他们人更多。 ◘ get the start of 1. [dated] gain an advantage over • [旧] 比…居先，比…占优势 ◘ start a family 1. conceive one's first child • 开始怀第一个孩子 ◘ start a hare --› seehare ◘ start something 1. [informal] cause trouble • [非正式] 惹是生非 ◘ to start with 1. at the beginning of a series of events or period of time • 开始时，一开始 »she wasn't very keen on the idea to start with. 开始时她对那想法不感兴趣。 as the first thing to be taken into account • 首先 »to start with, I was feeling down. 首先，我感到情绪低落。
【语源】
1. Old English styrtan 'to caper, leap', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch storten 'push' and German stürzen 'fall headlong, fling'. From the sense 'sudden movement' arose the sense 'initiation of movement, setting out on a journey' and hence 'beginning of a process, etc.'
【PHR V】
◘ start in 1. [informal] begin doing something, especially talking • [非正式] 开始做（尤指开始说） »people groan when she starts in about her acting ambitions. 当她开始表达当演员的志向时，人们报以不满的哼哼声。 (start in on)[N. Amer.] begin to do or deal with • [北美] 开始去做 »she started in on her face. 她开始化妆。 (start in on)[N. Amer.] attack verbally; begin to criticize • [北美] 用言语攻击；开始批判 ◘ start off (或 start someone/thing off) 1. begin (or cause someone or something to begin) working, operating, or dealing with something • （使）开始；（使）从事 »treatment should start off with attention to diet. 治疗首先应该从注意饮食开始。 »what started you off on this search? 是什么使你开始这项研究的。 (start off) begin a meal • 开始吃饭 »she started off with porridge . 她先喝了些粥。 ◘ start on 1. begin to work on or deal with • 开始进行；着手处理 » I'm starting on a new book . 我正开始写一本新书。 2. [informal] begin to talk to someone, especially in a critical or hostile way • [非正式] 开始吵架；开始用言语抨击 »she started on about my not having proper furniture. 她开始指责我没有合适的家具。 ◘ start over 1. [N. Amer.] make a new beginning • [北美] 重新开始 »could you face going back to school and starting over? 你能面对返回学校重新开始读书吗。 ◘ start out (或 up) 1. embark on a venture or undertaking, especially a commercial one • 着手，开始从事（某事业，尤指商业） »the company will start out with a hundred employees. 这个公司开业时将雇用100名员工。