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starting line

starting line

12 2.0
A marked line where people begin a race or game
  • noun
  • /ˈstɑrtɪŋ laɪn/
translation icon : línea de salida
  • Director: Take your position on the starting line.

Step over the line, stand, you know, sit in the car on the start line, the the lights are going from red to green.

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Examples

  • It's a glorious day here where a field of 51 racers stream full speed ahead from the starting line in Miami.

  • The green flag is out... and they're approaching the starting line.

  • So just getting to be there on the starting line and you know, seeing Peter take off was really cool.

  • Okay, you can go to the starting line.

  • And the cars are at the starting line.

  • Take your place at the starting line!

  • The man could tell as he pulled away from the starting line that this was going to be a good day at the track.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • It's a tense moment now at the starting line.

  • On the day of the race, Emily stood at the starting line.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • Take your place at the starting line!

Synonyms

start
vsstarting line
1.0

The time or place when something begins

is a physical marked place for races and games, not an abstract time or signal
scratch
vsstarting line
21 3.3

The starting line marked on the ground for a race or game

is the multiword phrase for the same meaning
jump-off
vsstarting line
  • US
4 4.1

The place or time where an event begins

is a physical marked place for races and games rather than an abstract moment
scratch line
vsstarting line
1 4.8

A line that shows where people start a race

has identical meaning but uses a different phrase form
string line
vsstarting line
  • Jargon
8.9

An invisible or marked line on a pool table behind which cue balls are placed at game start

is the general marked place used in many sports, not only billiards
starting post
vsstarting line
  • Texting
4.1

A post that marks where a race begins, often for horses

is a flat boundary marked on the ground rather than an upright marker

Surface Forms

starting line singular

Morphology

starting + line

The meaning 'a marked line indicating where participants begin a race' is directly and compositionally derived from 'starting' (initial/beginning) + 'line' (a mark or boundary). This noun phrase follows a common and cross-linguistically supported modifier + noun pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

The phrase starting line comes from races where runners stood behind a marked line and waited for a signal to start. Because that line showed where the race 'began', today starting line means the place where something begins.