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Origin and history of start

start(v.)

Middle English sterten, "leap, jump, cavort, caper," from Old English *steortian, *stiertan, Kentish variants of styrtan "to leap up" (but the Old English verb is attested only in Northumbrian past participle sturtende), from Proto-Germanic *stert- (source also of Old Frisian sterta, stirta "to fall, tumble," Middle Dutch sterten, storten, Dutch storten "to rush, fall," Old High German sturzen, German stürzen "to hurl, throw, plunge"). According to Watkins, the notion is "move briskly, move swiftly," and the Proto-Germanic word is from PIE root *ster- (1) "stiff."

From "move or spring suddenly," the sense extended by c. 1300 to include "awaken suddenly or abruptly; flinch or recoil in alarm," and by 1660s to "cause to begin acting or operating."

The meaning "begin to move, leave, or depart; enter upon action" (without implication of suddenness) is from 1821. The connection probably is from sporting senses ("force an animal from its lair," late 14c.). The transitive sense of "set in motion or action" is from 1670s; specifically as "set machinery in action" by 1841.

Related: Started; starting. To start in "begin" in any sense, is by 1873, American English; to start something "cause trouble" is by 1915, American English colloquial. To start over "begin again" is from 1912. In running, starting-line is so called by 1855; starting-block by 1937.

start(n.)

late 14c., "an involuntary movement of the body, a sudden jump," from start (v.). The meaning "act of beginning to move or act, a setting out in some course or action" is by 1560s; that of "act of setting in motion, signal to begin" is from c. 1600.

Many senses are modern; in sports-writing it is synecdoche for "a game" (by 1944). The meaning "act of beginning to build a house" is from 1946, as in the statistical term housing starts. The meaning "opportunity at the beginning of a career or course of action" is from 1849, from the notion of a lead or advantage in setting out (in a race or contest). It has been paired regularly with finish (n.) from at least 1839.

also from late 14c.

Entries linking to start

jump-start(v.)

also jumpstart, "to start a car engine using battery booster cables," by 1970; see jump (n.) + start (v.). The sense of jump is that in the jump-spark ignition system, attested from 1883 in gas-lighting, from c. 1902 as a common way to start an automobile; hence also jumper "wire used to cut out ('jump over') part of a circuit or to close a gap," a sense attested from 1901 in telegraphy. Related: Jumpstarted; jumpstarting. Figurative use by 1975. Jump-leads "jumper-cables" is from 1969; jumper-cables from 1961.

kick-start(v.)

1919 (implied in kick-starter), "method of starting an internal combustion engine (of a motorcycle) by pushing down a lever with the foot," from kick (n.) + start (n.). Figurative sense of "take a course of action that will quickly start a process" is by 1995.

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starter
c. 1400, stertour "one who or that which starts; instigator," agent noun from start (v.). The meaning "one who gives the signal to start a race" is by 1620s. The mechanical sense of "apparatus for activating a machine" is from 1875. The U.S. sports sense of "player who starts the
startle
c. 1300, stertelen, "move agitatedly, run to and fro" (intransitive), also "caper, romp, skip; leap, jump;" from Old English steartlian, from the source of start (v.) + frequentative suffix -le (as in topple, jostle, fizzle, etc.); see -el (3). The sense of "move suddenly in surp
stop
Middle English stoppen, "obstruct (a passage) with a physical barrier; close up by filling, stuffing, or plugging," from Old English -stoppian (in forstoppian "to stop up, stifle"), a general West Germanic word, cognate with Old Saxon stuppon, West Frisian stopje, Middle Low Germ
commence
c. 1300, "to start, initiate, cause to begin to be" (transitive), from Old French comencier "to begin, to start" (10c., Modern...
giddy-up
The terms used to start horses in harness and to urge them to a better appreciation of the value of time comprise vulgar...Throughout England and the United States drivers start their horses by picking up the reins, drawing them gently against...
rouse
The word became general from 16c. in the figurative, transitive, meaning "stir up, cause to start up by noise or clamor,...provoke to activity; waken from torpor or inaction" (1580s); that of "to awaken, cause to start from slumber or repose" is...
pacify
Of countries or regions, "to bring to a condition of calm, to restore peace to," late 15c., from the start with suggestions...
alpha
c. 1300, from Latin alpha, from Greek alpha, from Hebrew or Phoenician aleph (see aleph). The Greeks added -a because Greek words cannot end in most consonants. The sense of "beginning" of anything is from late 14c., and in this it is often paired with omega (the last letter in t
open
Old English open "not closed down, raised up" (of gates, eyelids, etc.), also "exposed, evident, well-known, public," often in a bad sense, "notorious, shameless;" from Proto-Germanic *upana-, literally "put or set up" (source also of Old Norse opinn, Swedish öppen, Danish aaben,
peon
in Spanish America, "unskilled worker," formerly in Mexico especially "a type of serf held in servitude by his creditor until his debts are worked off,"  1826, from Mexican Spanish peon "agricultural laborer" (especially a debtor held in servitude by his creditor), from Span

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