raise or start a hare

To introduce an irrelevant topic, line of inquiry, etc

run with the hare and hunt with the hounds

To play a double game, to be on both sides at once

start /stärt/

1. To begin, commence
2. To shoot, dart, move suddenly forth, or out
3. To spring up or forward
4. To strain forward
5. To break away
6. To make a sudden involuntary movement as of surprise or becoming aware
7. To spring open, out of place, or loose
8. To begin to move
9. (of a car, engine, etc) to begin to work, to fire, combust
10. To set forth on a journey, race, career
11. To take to grumbling, to begin an argument, quarrel, etc (informal)

1. To begin
2. To set going
3. To set on foot
4. To set up
5. To cause to begin (doing something)
6. To conceive (a baby) (informal)
7. To drive (an animal or bird) from a lair or hiding-place
8. To cause or undergo displacement or loosening of
9. To startle (obsolete)
10. To break in (a young horse)
11. To pour out or shoot

1. A beginning
2. A beginning of movement, esp of a journey, race or career
3. A setting in motion
4. The time or place at which something starts, eg a race
5. A help in or opportunity of beginning
6. An advantage in being early or ahead
7. The extent of such an advantage in time or distance
8. A sudden movement
9. A sudden involuntary motion of the body
10. A startled feeling
11. A queer occurrence (informal)
12. A spurt, spasm, burst
13. A beginning of building work on a new house site (esp as house or housing starts)

startˈer noun

1. One of the competitors or horses assembled for the start of a race
2. A person who gives the signal for starting
3. A dog that drives out game
4. An apparatus or device for starting a machine, such as that (also called self-starter) for starting an internal-combustion engine
5. Anything used to begin a process, such as a bacterial culture in making butter or cheese
6. (also in pl) the first course of a meal (see also for starters below)
7. A potentially successful or profitable idea, project, etc (commercial jargon)

startˈful adjective

Apt to start

startˈing noun and adjective

startˈingly adverb (Shakespeare)

By starts

startˈish adjective

Apt to start, skittish

starter home noun

A small house or flat built, or considered by the seller, to suit and be affordable by a first-time buyer, esp a young couple

starting block noun

(usu in pl) a device for helping a sprinter make a quick start to a race, consisting of a framework with blocks of wood or metal attached, on which the sprinter braces his feet

starting gate noun

1. A movable barrier behind which the runners in a horse race are contained until the start
2. Starting stalls (US)

starting gun see starting pistol below.

starting handle see under crank¹

starting hole noun

1. A hiding place
2. An evasive trick

starting pistol or starting gun noun

A small pistol used to give the signal for starting a race

starting point noun

The point from which anything starts, or from which motion begins

starting post noun

The post or barrier from which the competitors start in a race

starting price noun

Odds on a horse when the race begins (informal abbrev SP)

starting stalls plural noun

A line of compartments in which runners wait before the start of a horse race, fitted with gates that are sprung open at the start

startˈ-up noun

1. An upstart (Shakespeare)
2. A rustic half-boot or short legging (obsolete)
3. The process of setting up a company or business
4. Such a company or business

adjective

Of or denoting (the process of setting up) a new company or business

for a start

In the first place, as a preliminary consideration

for starters (informal)

1. As the first course of a meal
2. In the first place, for a start

give (someone) a start

1. To give (someone) an advantage at the start of, or in beginning, an enterprise, race, etc
2. To startle (someone)
3. To give (someone) a job, esp a manual job (informal)

start a hare see under hare

start in

To begin

start (in) on (informal)

To turn on, scold, berate

start out

1. To begin
2. To begin a journey

start over (N American)

To begin again from the beginning, start all over again

start up

1. To rise suddenly
2. To come suddenly into notice or being
3. To set in motion
4. To set up, initiate, establish (startˈ-up noun see above)

to start with

1. At the beginning
2. In the first place, as a primary consideration

under starter's orders

1. (of racehorses) about to be released by the starter at the beginning of a race
2. Ready to start (figurative)