false start

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word false start. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word false start, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say false start in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word false start you have here. The definition of the word false start will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition offalse start, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

Noun

false start (plural false starts)

  1. (sports) The act of an athlete starting a race before being signaled to do so.
    Synonyms: jump-start, flyer
  2. (American football) The act of an offensive player moving across the line of scrimmage prior to the snap.
  3. An attempt at something that does not work, requiring one to start over.
    • 1962 December, “Motive Power Miscellany: North Eastern Region”, in Modern Railways, page 422:
      After a "false start" that was too vigorous, overloading the motors, No. D171 made a very successful unassisted run from Tyne Dock to Consett.
    • 2017 December 1, Tom Breihan, “Mad Max: Fury Road might already be the best action movie ever made”, in The Onion AV Club‎:
      He spent nearly 20 years developing the movie, keeping at it through false starts and heartbreaking dead ends. And when he got the chance to make it, he went all in, devising entire societies full of baroquely souped-up death machines and screaming war-cults.

Translations

Further reading

Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia