n.
1.an electric motor for starting an engine
2.a culture containing yeast or bacteria that is used to start the process of fermentation or souring in making butter or cheese or dough
3.a contestant who is in the game at the beginning
4.the official who signals the beginning of a race or competition
5.any new participant in some activity
6.food or drink to stimulate the appetite (usually served before a meal or as the first course)
7.a hand tool consisting of a rotating shaft with parallel handle
Idiom of the Day
vicious circle
an unbroken sequence of cause and effect with bad results
The man had fallen into a vicious circle of drinking too much and then losing his job and then drinking even more.
