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jumping-off place

jumping-off place

1 6.3
A place where someone starts a journey, project, or activity
  • noun
translation icon : punto de partida
  • Finally, I suggest to you that the environmental and labor side agreements under NAFTA provide a jumping-off place for new initiatives.

Examples

  • As a jumping-off place for adventurous travelers, the coastal city offers various tours and activities.

  • "So we would ride out there in the late afternoon, hide our bikes in the trees, and go out to our favorite jumping-off place," Byron said.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • The Post article is a great jumping-off place.

    Blog text (2)
  • For her jumping-off place, she chose the bridge near her dear old house.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • You know, thoughtful pieces in which nature serves as a sort of jumping-off place for larger topics.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • The Greyhound station is the jumping-off place for servicemen.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • The workshop was a jumping-off place for a lot of independent research we did on eye studies, how the brain reads tables and graphs, and other stuff like that.

    Blog text (26)
  • Think of these Sunday posts as jumping-off places... discuss what I've posted, post something yourself, answer questions, ask questions, add links... do whatever it takes to make this experience enjoyable and understandable for you!

    Blog text (26)
  • Facilitates problem-solving, develops group synergy, teaches how to look at failure in a way that facilitates research, and provides a jumping-off place for discovery.

    Academic text (1993)
  • The historic town has become a popular jumping-off place for hikers exploring the national park.

Synonyms

starting point
vsjumping-off place
69 3.0

A place, time, or situation that people use as a basis for later action

is narrower, focusing on physical locations that begin journeys or enterprises
jumping-off point
vsjumping-off place
7 4.2

A place, idea, or situation where new action begins

is focused on physical launch sites used to begin journeys or enterprises
jump-off
vsjumping-off place
  • US
4 4.1

The place or time where an event begins

is for locations that start longer ventures like journeys or enterprises
launch pad
vsjumping-off place
1 3.7

A thing that helps someone start a job or project

is a general beginning location rather than a platform for a career boost
point of departure
vsjumping-off place
1 4.5

An idea or fact used as a starting point for discussion and work

is more concrete, focusing on physical launch sites for journeys or activities

Antonyms

344 2.0

The place a person or thing is going to at the end of a journey

How Useful

launching pad
  • Specialized
4 4.4
jumping-off place
1 6.3
meeting place
17 1.3

Surface Forms

Morphology

jumping-off + place

The phrase can be parsed as 'jump' + 'off' + 'place' so a learner who knows these words can infer a place from which one 'jumps off' — metaphorically a launch or starting point. Because this is a figurative extension rather than a strictly literal combination and 'jumping-off' is a lexicalized metaphor, its meaning is not guaranteed to be fully predictable to all B1 learners without some exposure.

Etymology

Jumping-off place comes from the image of someone standing at the edge and jumping off to begin a trip or action, and that sudden move from one spot makes a strong memory hook; so it now means 'a place to start' or 'a first step' for an activity.