[, ]the point at which sth begins 起点；开端◆Things were looking bad at the start of the year. 年初时情况看起来很糟糕。◆The meeting got off to a good/bad start(= started well/badly). 会议有一个很好／很糟的开端。
[] the act or process of beginning sth 开始◆We'd better make a start on these accounts. 我们最好开始着手做这些账目。
[, ]the opportunity that you are given to begin sth in a successful way 良好的基础条件；起始优势◆The job gave him his start in publishing. 这份工作给他在出版业的发展奠定了良好的基础。
[, ]a business, project, etc. that has just begun 新创办的企业；新开办的项目◆Last year there were a large number of new business starts, and new business failures. 去年创办了许多新企业，也有很多新企业倒闭了。➡start-up