| 1. | Sports. a start, as in the hop, step, and jump or the running broad jump, in which a contestant begins moving before reaching the starting or take-off point. |
| 2. | an initial advantage in undertaking something; a head start: His background gave him a running start in business. |
| flying start n. In both senses also called running start.
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| running start n. See flying start. |
running start
An initial advantage, as in His background in biochemistry gave him a running start in the field of genetics. This expression alludes to track events such as the running broad jump, in which one begins moving before reaching the actual take-off point. [1920s] Also see under get off the ground.