starter
small dish before main course
A small dish you eat before the main part of a meal.
[someone] has [food] as a starter
- For my starter, I'll have the tomato soup.
- The set menu includes a starter, a main course, and a dessert.
- We shared a salad as a starter before the pasta arrived.
- The restaurant offers a vegetarian starter on every menu.
- Her prawn starter was beautifully presented but a little salty.
- I would like the salad as a starter.
- We had bread and olives for a starter.
- This restaurant has many fish starters.
- He skipped the starter and went straight to the main dish.
team player who begins game
A team player who plays at the beginning of a game, not on the bench.
[someone] is a starter for [team]
- She became a regular starter for the national team last season.
- The coach announced that three usual starters would be rested tonight.
- He is expected to be the starting point guard, not just a bench starter.
- After a strong preseason, he earned a spot as a starter for the opening game.
- The team fielded five new starters after last year's transfers.
- He is a starter on the basketball team.
- She wants to be a starter, not a substitute.
- Three starters were injured and could not play.
- He trained hard and became a starter this year.
thing or person that starts something
A person or thing that helps something start.
[something] is a starter for [activity or process]
- The teacher used a short quiz as a starter to review last week's lesson.
- That funny video was a good conversation starter at the party.
- The workshop always begins with a light starter activity to relax people.
- They designed a simple starter exercise to introduce the main topic.
- A personal story can be a powerful starter for a serious discussion.
- The teacher gave a small starter activity.
- This question is a good starter for our talk.
- He told a joke as a starter before the meeting.
- We did a short game as a starter in class.
device that starts an engine
The part of a car or machine that makes the engine begin to run.
[someone] turns the key and the starter engages
- The car would not start because the starter had burned out.
- A clicking noise can be a sign of a weak starter.
- Modern cars often have a push-button starter instead of a key.
- The mechanic said the starter motor needs to be replaced immediately.
- Cold weather can put extra strain on the starter and the battery.
- My car will not start because the starter is broken.
- The mechanic changed the starter in my car.
- He pressed the starter button to turn on the engine.
- If the starter is weak, the engine turns very slowly.
fermenting mix for bread or food
A wet mix with yeast or bacteria that you keep and use to make bread or other foods rise and ferment.
[someone] feeds the starter with [ingredient]
- She keeps her sourdough starter in a jar in the fridge.
- You need to feed the starter with fresh flour every day.
- The starter smelled strong, which meant it was active and ready to use.
- He shared some of his hundred-year-old starter with his neighbor.
- If the starter becomes moldy, you should throw it away and begin a new one.
- I made a sourdough starter with flour and water.
- The bread needs a strong starter to rise well.
- Please feed the starter every morning.
- If the starter is not active, the bread will be flat.
official who starts a race
The person at a race who tells the runners or horses when to start.
[the] starter signals the beginning of [race]
- The starter raised his pistol and the runners fell silent.
- At the starter's signal, the horses leapt from the gates.
- The race was delayed while officials spoke to the starter.
- The starter made them line up again after a false start.
- Only when the starter was ready did the swimmers take their marks.
- The starter told the runners to get ready.
- When the starter fired the gun, the race began.
- The horses waited for the starter to give the signal.
- The starter stopped the race after a false start.
- Base: starter
- Plural: starters
a non-starter
1idea with no chance of success
An idea, plan, or person that will definitely not work or will not be accepted.
- Raising taxes that much is a non-starter for most voters.
- The proposal was a non-starter because it ignored basic safety rules.
- Hiring someone without a visa is a legal non-starter.
conversation starter
1question or thing that starts talk
Something, like a question or an interesting object, that helps people begin to talk to each other.
- Her unusual necklace was a great conversation starter at the event.
- The book includes conversation starter questions for shy people.
- Games can be useful conversation starters at a party.
for starters
1to begin with; first of all
Used to introduce the first point or reason when you will say more things after it.
- I am not going to the party. For starters, I have too much work to do.
- We should, for starters, agree on a clear budget.
- For starters, the rent is too high, and the flat is very small.
self-starter
1person who shows own initiative
Someone who can start work or projects alone, without being pushed or told what to do.
- The company is looking for a self-starter who can manage projects alone.
- She is a real self-starter and quickly built a strong client base.
- Being a self-starter is important if you want to work from home.
starter culture
1microbe mix used to ferment food
A mix of tiny living things, like bacteria or yeast, that you add to food to make it ferment, for example in yogurt or cheese.
- The yogurt starter culture must be kept at the right temperature.
- Cheesemakers carefully select the starter culture to control flavor.
- Without a healthy starter culture, the fermentation will fail.
starter home
1first small, affordable house
A small, not very expensive house that people usually buy as their first home.
- They bought a modest starter home in the suburbs.
- High prices mean many young couples cannot afford even a starter home.
- The new development includes starter homes aimed at first-time buyers.
starter motor
1electric motor that starts engine
The electric motor in a car that turns the engine so it can start running.
- A grinding sound can mean the starter motor is failing.
- The garage replaced the starter motor under warranty.
- Without a working starter motor, the car will not start at all.
starter pack
1basic or typical set of items
A basic set of things that you need when you begin something, or a humorous list that shows what is typical for a type of person or activity.
- The mobile company sells a cheap starter pack for new users.
- Online, people joke about a 'college student starter pack' with coffee, headphones, and a laptop.
- This gardening starter pack includes seeds, soil, and small pots.
starter pistol
1gun used to start a race
A special gun that makes a loud sound to tell runners or swimmers to begin a race.
- The crack of the starter pistol sent the runners down the track.
- Officials tested the starter pistol before the competition began.
- At the sound of the starter pistol, the swimmers dived into the pool.
starter kit
1basic set of things to begin
A simple set of things that gives you everything you need to begin doing something new.
- The knitting starter kit includes needles and yarn.
- She bought a painting starter kit with brushes, paints, and a canvas.
- A starter kit is perfect if you're new to painting.
- The store sells a starter kit for people who want to keep bees.
- I got a bread-making starter kit as a birthday present.