start

comenzar

el comienzo

start(start)

transitive verb

1. (to begin)

a. comenzar

We start classes in September.

Comenzaremos las clases en septiembre.

b. empezar

They said they'll start the movie in half an hour.

Dijeron que empezarán la película en media hora.

c. iniciar

We started our long trip by stopping in Montreal.

Iniciamos nuestro largo viaje parando en Montreal.

2. (to cause to begin)

a. empezar

A group of students started the anti-war movement.

Un grupo de estudiantes empezó el movimiento contra la guerra.

b. iniciar

The sound of the gun started the race.

El sonido de la pistola inició la carrera.

c. dar comienzo

The teacher started the course with a speech.

El profesor dio comienzo al curso con un discurso.

d. provocar

That cigarette started the fire.

Ese cigarrillo provocó el fuego.

e. desencadenar

The conflict started a turf war.

El conflicto desencadenó una guerra territorial.

3. (to cause to operate)

a. encender

You can't start the hedge cutter because the power cord is unplugged.

No puedes encender el cortasetos porque el cable está desenchufado.

b. arrancar

If you cannot start your car, I will take you.

Si no puedes arrancar el coche, te llevaré yo.

c. poner en marcha

I could not start the motorcycle because its tank was empty.

No pude poner en marcha la moto porque el depósito estaba vacío.

4. (to found)

a. montar

My cousin started a business recently.

Mi primo montó un negocio hace poco.

b. fundar

The company was started by my grandfather in 1950.

Mi abuelo fundó la empresa en 1950.

c. poner

I started a clothing store last year.

Puse una tienda de ropa el año pasado.

d. poner en marcha

My boss started this empire with just one store.

Mi jefe puso en marcha este imperio con solo una tienda.

intransitive verb

5. (to begin)

a. empezar

The day had started badly, and did not improve.

El día había empezado mal y no mejoró.

b. comenzar

Now that we are all here, we can start.

Ahora que estamos todos, podemos comenzar.

6. (to originate)

a. empezar

It all started when he decided to go abroad.

Todo empezó cuando decidió irse al extranjero.

7. (to set out)

a. emprender camino

They started early in the morning.

Emprendieron camino temprano por la mañana.

b. partir

We started from Ponce, and now we are here.

Partimos de Ponce y ahora estamos aquí.

8. (to cause to operate)

a. arrancar

My car won't start, so I had to take the bus.

Mi coche no arranca, así que tuve que coger el autobús.

b. ponerse en marcha

If the lawn mower doesn't start, clean the filters.

Si el cortacésped no se pone en marcha, limpia los filtros.

9. (to move suddenly)

a. sobresaltarse

The baby started at the sudden noise.

El bebé se sobresaltó con el ruido repentino.

10. (to protrude)

a. salirse

His eyes started when he saw her in that red dress.

Se le salían los ojos cuando la vio con ese vestido rojo.

noun

11. (beginning)

a. el comienzo

(M)

The start of the tournament will take place at two o'clock.

El comienzo de torneo tendrá lugar a las dos en punto.

b. el principio

(M)

Be patient at the start of the race; save your strength.

Ten paciencia al principio de la carrera; ahorra fuerzas.

12. (departure point)

a. la salida

(F)

The start of the race will be on my street.

La salida de la carrera será en mi calle.

b. la línea de salida

(F)

Please, all runners go to the start.

Por favor, todos los corredores acudan a la línea de salida.

c. la línea de partida

(F)

The runners left the start at nine o'clock.

Los corredores salieron de la línea de partida a las nueve en punto.

13. (sudden movement)

a. el respingo

(M)

The student gave a start when the teacher called his name.

El alumno dio un respingo cuando el profesor dijo su nombre.

b. el sobresalto

(M)

I woke up with a start because I thought I was late for work.

Me levanté de un sobresalto porque pensé que iba tarde para el trabajo.

14. (sports)

a. la ventaja

(F)

Our team had a five-minute start over our competitors.

Nuestro equipo tuvo una ventaja de cinco minutos sobre nuestros contrincantes.

start

[stɑːt]

noun

1. principio (m) comienzo (m) (beginning) ; salida (f) (starting place, of race)

• for a start para empezar
• at the start al principio
• at the start of the month a principios de mes
• from the start desde el principio
• from start to finish de principio a fin
• to make a start on something empezar con algo
• he lent her £500 to give her a start le prestó 500 libras para ayudarla a empezar
• to give somebody a 60 meter(s) start dar a alguien una ventaja de 60 metros (in race)

2. susto (m) sobresalto (m) (sudden movement)

• to wake with a start despertarse sobresaltado(a)
• to give somebody a start sobresaltar a alguien, dar un susto a alguien (frighten)

transitive verb

3. empezar, comenzar (begin) ; entablar, iniciar (conversation, talks) ; promover, poner en circulación (fashion, rumor) ; ocasionar, provocar (fire) ;

montar
• to start school empezar el colegio
• to start doing something, to start to do something ponerse or empezar a hacer algo
• it's just started raining acaba de ponerse or empezar a llover
• to get started empezar

4. arrancar, poner en marcha (cause to start) (machine, engine, car)

intransitive verb

5. empezar, comenzar (begin)

• to start at the beginning empezar por el principio
• to start by doing something comenzar haciendo algo
• she had started as a doctor había comenzado trabajando como médica
• to start with para empezar
• to start on something empezar algo
• now don't YOU start! ¡no empieces!, ¡no empecemos!

6. sobresaltarse (be frightened)

• to start out of one's sleep despertarse sobresaltado(a)

7. salir, partir (begin journey)

8. arrancar (car, engine)

start [stɑːt]

noun

1 (beginning) principio (m); comienzo (m)

...the start of the academic year That was the start of all the trouble

at the start al principio; en un principio

at the very start muy al principio; en los mismos comienzos; at the start of the century a principios del siglo; we are at the start of something big estamos en los comienzos de algo grandioso

for a start en primer lugar; para empezar

from the start desde el principio

from start to finish desde el principio hasta el fin

to get a good start in life disfrutar de una infancia privilegiada

This can lead to jealousy if the child feels that his peers have got a better start in life than he has

to get off to a good/bad/slow start empezar bien/mal/lentamente

to give sb a (good) start in life ayudar a algn a situarse en la vida

They gave their son a good start in life

to make a start empezar

to make a start on the painting empezar a pintar

I think I'll make a start on the decorating this weekend

to make an early start (on journey) ponerse en camino temprano; (with job) empezar temprano; to make a fresh or new start in life hacer vida nueva

2 (departure) salida (f); also (Dep)

... to be lined uo for the start The whistle blew for the start of the race

(starting line) línea (f) de salida

The runners were gathering at the start

3 (advantage) ventaja (f)

to give sb five minutes' or a five-minute start dar a algn cinco minutos de ventaja

to give sb 10 metres' a 10-metre start

to have a start on sb tener ventaja sobre algn

4 (fright etc) susto (m); sobresalto (m)

to give sb a start asustar or dar un susto a algn

to give a sudden start sobresaltarse; what a start you gave me! ¡qué susto me diste!

to wake with a start despertarse sobresaltado

transitive verb

1 (begin) empezar; comenzar; [+discussion etc] abrir; iniciar

He started a conversation with a woman who turned out to be the ambassador's wife

[+bottle] abrir; [+quarrel, argument] empezar

They started the argument in the pub and continued it at home

[+journey] iniciar

In France the visit of the Turkish Ambassador to the Court of Louis XIV started a fashion for all things Turkish After a short rest we started the long journey home

to start a new cheque book/page comenzar or empezar un talonario nuevo/una página nueva

He picked up his pen and started a new page

don't start that again! ¡no vuelvas a eso!; to start doing sth or to do sth empezar a hacer algo

I started to think you weren't coming It soon started to rain

start moving! ¡menearse!; start talking! ¡desembucha!

to start sth again or afresh comenzar or empezar algo de nuevo

Finally I scrapped my original manuscript and started the book again

to start the day right empezar bien el día

He also reflects that the early morning drinking - a couple of large ones to start the day right - was in some ways the start of his downfall

he always starts the day with a glass of milk lo primero que toma cada mañana es un vaso de leche

he started life as a labourer empezó de or como peón

to start a new life comenzar una vida nueva

to start negotiations iniciar or entablar las pláticas

to start a novel empezar a escribir (or leer) una novela

to start school empezar a ir al colegio

Relatively few nurseries - whether state or privately run - will take children under two; nor are your problems over once children start school

he started work yesterday entró a trabajar ayer

2 (cause to begin or happen) [+fire] provocar; [+war] [+person, country] empezar; iniciar; [+incident, act] desencadenar

Why on earth would a tinpot dictator choose to start a war with a superpower like the US?

[+fashion] empezar; iniciar; [+rumour, tradition] iniciar; dar comienzo a

Why should Simpson have wanted to kill us? All you're doing is starting yet another rumour, making more trouble!

it started the collapse of the empire provocó el derrumbamiento del imperio; you started it! ¡tú diste el primer golpe!

to start a family (empezar a) tener hijos

to start a race (give signal for) dar la señal de salida para una carrera

3

to get started empezar; ponerse en marcha

Once I get started, I work very quickly

let's get started empecemos

Come on, let's get started now. We've wasted enough time already

to get sth started [+engine, car] poner algo en marcha; arrancar algo; [+project] poner algo en marcha

We'd better get out of here fast. I'll get the engine started I couldn't get the bloody car started again this morning I want to earn enough money and get my own farm started

to get sb started (on activity) poner a algn en marcha; (in career) iniciar a algn en su carrera

Sometimes there is so much to see in the landscape that we are unable to focus on a manageable area of it and therefore fail to find a good subject. On these occasions I find the viewfinder can be a very helpful device to get me started

Initially it was a grant from the Arts Council that helped to get them started

to get started on (doing) sth empezar a hacer algo

I want to get started on decorating the house as soon as I can

to get sb started on (doing) sth poner a algn a hacer algo

I'll get him started on the clearing-up Jessie meets briefly with the first group of students, to get them started on their writing

4 (found) (also start up) [+business] montar; poner; [+newspaper] fundar; establecer

5 (also start up) [+car, engine] arrancar; poner en marcha; [+clock] poner en marcha

6 (with personal object)

don't start him (off) on that! ¡no le des cuerda!; to start sb (off) reminiscing hacer que algn empiece a contar sus recuerdos; that started him (off) sneezing eso le hizo empezar a estornudar

She covered the pizza with black pepper, which of course started him sneezing again

to start sb (off) on a career ayudar a algn a emprender una carrera; they started her (off) in the sales department la emplearon primero en la sección de ventas

7 (disturb)

to start (up) a partridge levantar una perdiz

intransitive verb

1 (begin) empezar; comenzar; [+conversation, discussion] iniciarse; [+quarrel, argument] producirse; [+fashion] empezar; iniciar; [+war] estallar; empezar; [+rumour, tradition] originarse; [+fire] empezar; iniciarse; [+music] empezar

We must start at once A discussion started among three of the officials An argument started at the next table The fashion apparently started back in the 19th century The war started in December and continued until the following spring A rumour started that 500 jobs were to be lost The fire started in the attic and quickly spread to the rest of the house

The lights dimmed and the music started

classes start on Monday las clases comienzan or empiezan el lunes; that's when the trouble started entonces fue cuando empezaron los problemas; it all started when he refused to pay todo empezó cuando se negó a pagar; it started (off) rather well/badly [+film, match] empezó bastante bien/mal

to start again or afresh volver a empezar; comenzar de nuevo

he started (off or out) as a postman empezó como or de cartero

he started (off or out) as a Marxist empezó como marxista

to start at the beginning empezar desde el principio

he started (off) by saying ... empezó por decir or diciendo ...

the route starts from here la ruta sale de aquí

starting from Tuesday a partir del martes

to start (out or up) in business montar or poner un negocio

to start (off) with ... (firstly) en primer lugar ...; para empezar ...

Well, to start with, this is quite untrue ...

(at the beginning) al principio ...; en un principio ...

To start with, there were only 3 of them but later ... We only had 25 pounds to start with

what shall we start (off) with? ¿con qué empezamos?; to start (off) with a prayer empezar con una oración; he started (off or out) with the intention of writing a thesis empezó con la intención de escribir una tesis

2 (embark)

to start on a task emprender una tarea

to start on something new emprender algo nuevo; to start on a book (begin reading) empezar a leer un libro; (begin writing) empezar a escribir un libro

I've got a whole pile of books I haven't started on yet

How long ago did you start on the book and where did the idea come from?

to start on a course of study empezar un curso

When do you start on your Spanish course?

they started on another bottle abrieron or empezaron otra botella

3 (also start off) (also start out) (on journey) [+person] partir; ponerse en camino; [+bus, train, runner] salir

Ten horses started but only three finished

to start (off or out) from London/for Madrid salir de Londres/partir con rumbo a or para Madrid

he started (off) along the coridor

he started (off) down the street empezó a caminar calle abajo

4 (also start up) [+car, engine] arrancar; ponerse en marcha

The car won't start

[+washing machine] ponerse en marcha

5 (jump nervously) asustarse; sobresaltarse;at a

to start from one's chair levantarse asustado de su silla; tears started to her eyes se le llenaron los ojos de lágrimas

his eyes were starting out of his head se le saltaban los ojos de la cara

6 [+timber etc] combarse; torcerse; [+rivets etc] soltarse

starting [ˈstɑːtɪŋ]

modifier

starting block (n) (Athletics) taco (m) de salida

to be on the starting blocks

starting gate (n) (US) (Horse Racing) cajón (m) de salida; parrilla (f) de salida

starting grid (n) (Motor Racing) parrilla (f) de arranque

starting handle (n) (Britain) (Aut) manivela (f) de arranque

starting line (n) (Athletics) línea (f) de salida

starting point (n) punto (m) de partida

starting post (n) (Dep) poste (m) de salida

starting price (n) (St Ex) cotización (f)

starting salary (n) sueldo (m) inicial

starting stalls (n) (Britain) (Horse Racing) cajones (m) de salida