Dictionary

flying start en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Etymology

From sailboat races, where the ships should be 'flying' under full sail as they cross the starting line.

Meanings

1. (idiomatic) An especially good start.
   • He puts the brakes on here and there down the next four miles of curves, but then opens her out so that she rocks and rolls through Totnes at a mile a minute for a flying start on the worst bank of the whole trip, five steep miles up to Rattery Box and four not so steep past Brent up to Wrangaton. 1956 February, W. A. Tuplin, “Hot Work on a "Star"”, in Railway Magazine, page 90:
   • The new restaurant got off to a flying start, packing out every night.
   • And six minutes in they should have got off to a flying start. Aluko caused the damage. The winger slipped away from Ledley then stood up a cross to the back post which seemed perfect for Lee Wallace charging in. 2011 December 29, Keith Jackson, “SPL: Celtic 1 Rangers 0”, in Daily Record:
2. The start of a sports event in which the competitors are moving at full speed when they pass the starting line or initial jump point.

Forms

Coordinates

rolling start · standing start

Relateds

running start · with flying colours · rolling start

Translations (4)

fi lentävä lähtö (an especially good start) · fr sur les chapeaux de roue (an especially good start) · sv rivstart (an especially good start) · pl start z wysokiego (an especially good start)