startstart2 noun1[countableC usually singular] the beginning of an activity, event, or situationstart ofThe share price has increased by 22% since the start of the year.
They’ve had problemsright from the start.
The whole process takes 10 days from start to finish.
Shops got off to a bad start in the weeks after currency union.
2[countableC usually plural] a job that has just started, a business that has just been created, or someone who has just started a new jobThe number of business starts plummeted 10.5% during the second half.
a training course for new starts
→ housing starts3[singular] British EnglishBrE informal the beginning of a new jobHe went to the building site and asked if there was any chance of a start.
4[countableC usually singular] a situation in which you have an advantage over other peopleWe’ve got a real head start on the rest of the industry, and very few real competitors.