START OUT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does start out mean? 

• START OUT (verb)
  The verb START OUT has 2 senses:

1. take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

2. leave

  Familiarity information: START OUT used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• START OUT (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

begin; commence; get; get down; set about; set out; start; start out

Context example:

Let's get down to work now

Verb group:

begin (begin to speak, understand, read, and write a language)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "start out"):

recommence (begin again)

strike out (set out on a course of action)

fall (begin vigorously)

jump off (set off quickly, usually with success)

get to (arrive at the point of)

auspicate (commence in a manner calculated to bring good luck)

attack (set to work upon; turn one's energies vigorously to a task)

break in (start in a certain activity, enterprise, or role)

launch; plunge (begin with vigor)

come on (occur or become available)

embark; enter (set out on (an enterprise or subject of study))

bestir oneself; get cracking; get going; get moving; get rolling; get started; get weaving (start to be active)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE
Somebody ----s VERB-ing

Sense 2

Meaning:

Leave

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

depart; part; set forth; set off; set out; start; start out; take off

Context example:

The family took off for Florida

Hypernyms (to "start out" is one way to...):

go away; go forth; leave (go away from a place)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "start out"):

lift off; take off (depart from the ground)

roar off (leave)

blaze; blaze out (move rapidly and as if blazing)

sally forth; sally out (set out in a sudden, energetic or violent manner)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence example:

The children start out to the playground

 Context examples 

“What was it then?” asked Alleyne, coming with a start out of his reverie.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He would start out early next morning to hunt a job.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Using an experimental dune ‘racetrack’, the researchers observed that two identical dunes start out close together, but over time they get further and further apart.

(Sand dunes can ‘communicate’ with each other, University of Cambridge)

Yesterday I was almost willing to accept Van Helsing's monstrous ideas; but now they seem to start out lurid before me as outrages on common sense.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

I won't start out till ten o'clock.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)