Idioms

false start

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false start

1. In a sporting event, a situation in which one player or team begins before the official signal has been given. The team was issued a penalty by the referee after the false start. If you start to run before the starting gun, you'll be assessed a false start. Ugh, another false start. We really need to stop taking dumb penalties!
2. An unsuccessful attempt to begin something. After several false starts, Gina was finally able to make some progress in writing her term paper. We had some false starts when we first went into business together and couldn't agree on a pricing model for our products. It initially had a false start, but now the president's infrastructure program is up and running.
See also: false, start
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

false start

A wrong beginning, as in After several false starts she finally managed to write the first chapter. The term originated in racing, where it refers to beginning a race before the starting signal has been given. The expression was soon transferred to other kinds of failed beginning. [Early 1800s]
See also: false, start
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

(make) a false ˈstart

an attempt to begin something that is not successful: After a few false starts, I finally managed to work the fax machine. ♢ He made a few false starts early on in his acting career, but then found success with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
In sport, a false start is a situation when a competitor in a race starts before the official signal has been given.
See also: false, start
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
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References in periodicals archive
Bolt was the second sprinter to be disqualified in the 100m yesterday, with Britain's Dwain Chambers committing a false start in the first semi-final.
Bolt and Chambers miss out thanks to false starts
If, in the judgement of the starter or recallers, he does so any earlier, it shall be deemed a false start. Except in combined events, any athlete responsible for a false start shall be disqualified."
False start Bolt gets thrown out to end his dream; WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
"I was glad of that first false start," Bolt, a self-confessed poor starter due to his height, said.
Athletics: Record is Bolt from the blue; Shock as Usain becomes the world's fastest man
Evans said: "I was pretty nervous before the heat as I didn't want to false start on my first competitive appearance.
THOM'S BACK ON TRACK
Defending champion Bolt was disqualified from the 100 metres final in the World Championships on Sunday for a false start, leaving fellow Jamaican Yohan Blake to claim the title.
Bolt 'fluff' is good for sport - Campbell
London, Aug.30 (ANI): Lord Sebastian Coe, a former champion runner, has said that athletics must not change its false start rule, even if it means Jamaican Usain Bolt missing the London Olympic final because of a 100 meter disqualification.
Coe says Bolt disqualifier must not force change of rules
Blake had been the quickest qualifier from the semi-finals, clocking 9.95 in a race which also saw Britain's Dwain Chambers disqualified for a false start.
BOLT'S BIG BLOW; False start shatters Usain's World dream
"These false start rules are difficult and I'm not sure exactly what happened but I didn't see what was wrong with the old false start when you had the yellow cards.
Confident Devonish is left to focus on relay; WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Running in lane eight after a false start had increased the tension, the four-time Paralympic champion finished 0.1sec behind winner Chris Brown, with Britain's Martyn Rooney second.
Caton could have different headache this time
Any subsequent false start leads to immediate disqualification.
Bolt from the blue as false start ends Usain dream; ATHLETICS Quick exit for star sprinter
Last year, the IAAF, the world's governing body for the sport, implemented a new no-false-start rule, in which any athlete who commits a false start is immediately disqualified.
One false step would cost sprinters
Andrew Elliott, Kirsty Milczarek, Pat Cosgrave and Paul Mulrennan will be out of action between January 21 and 28 after failing to pull up when a false start had been called.
Horse: Racing IN BRIEF - Bans follow start chaos
And when it comes to the music the accomplished five-piece from Edinburgh can more than make up for the odd false start.
Reviews: Bumbling nicely; ABERFELDY Bar Academy
Birmingham's Lewis-Francis was punished for a false start after Jamaica's Michael Frater - the world silver medallist - had already been disqualified for jumping the gun.
Athletics: MLF starting to count cost; Commonwealth Games
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