start

Compared meaning: to begin doing something (verb).

比较义项：开始（动词）。

• begin

  Neutral, all-purpose word for beginning, used in both formal and everyday English; often describes something coming into existence or a story or relationship starting.

  中性、通用的“开始”一词，正式和日常英语中都可以使用；常用来描述某事物开始存在，或故事、关系的开端。

  Their friendship began the day they met at summer camp.

  他们的友谊在夏令营相遇的那天开始了。

• start 本词

  The most common, everyday word; the only one of the three naturally used for machines, engines, journeys or physical actions beginning to work or move.

  三者中最常用、最口语化的词；也是唯一能自然用于机器、引擎、旅程等开始运转或开始移动的词。

  He turned the key twice before the old engine finally started.

  他把钥匙转了两次，那台旧引擎才终于发动起来。

• commence

  A formal, official word typical of ceremonies, legal proceedings or written announcements; sounds stiff or out of place in casual spoken conversation.

  正式、公文式的词，常见于典礼、法律程序或书面公告；用在日常口语对话中会显得生硬、不自然。

  The annual shareholders' meeting will commence promptly at nine o'clock.

  年度股东大会将于九点准时开始。

Begin, start, and commence all mean to begin something. Begin is neutral and general, fitting stories or relationships. Start is the everyday word, used for machines or journeys. Commence is formal, used in ceremonies or legal writing. Start's 'sudden jerk' meaning is not compared.

begin、start 和 commence 在“开始”这个意思上很接近，但正式程度和使用场合不同：commence 最正式，start 最口语化，begin 居中且用途最广。这里不比较 start 表示“（因惊吓而）猛地一动”的用法。

Compared meaning: to move suddenly from fright (verb).

比较义项：因受惊而猛地一动／吓到某人（动词）。

• start 本词

  Intransitive; a sudden involuntary jerk of one's own body from surprise, often followed by 'at' + the cause; somewhat formal or literary, less common in casual speech than 'jump'.

  不及物动词；指自己的身体因受惊而猛地一动，常接“at + 引起惊吓的事物”；用法偏正式或文学化，在日常口语中不如 jump 常用。

  She started at the sound of the door slamming shut.

  她听到门砰地关上的声音，吓了一跳。

• jump

  Intransitive; the everyday, informal word for a startled movement, often with a small hop; very common in casual speech, and pairs with 'jump out of one's skin' for emphasis.

  不及物动词；是日常口语中最常用的说法，指因受惊而突然一动，常带有轻微跳动的意味；常用 jump out of one's skin 来加强语气。

  The sudden knock at the window made him jump.

  窗户上突然的敲击声吓得他跳了起来。

• startle

  Usually transitive: the cause of fright is the subject and the frightened person is the object (often passive 'be startled by'); stronger and more sudden than 'jump', with no sense of physically hopping.

  通常是及物动词：引起惊吓的事物作主语，受惊的人作宾语（常用被动式 be startled by）；语气比 jump 更强烈、更突然，并不含“身体跳起”的意味。

  The fire alarm startled everyone in the office.

  火警警报把办公室里所有人都吓了一跳。

Start, jump, and startle describe a sudden reaction to fright. Start and jump mean the person's body moves; jump is everyday, start more formal. Startle is different: the cause is the subject, and the frightened person is the object. Start's 'begin' sense is not compared.

这三个词都与因受惊吓而产生的突然反应有关，但 start 和 jump 描述的是受惊者自己身体猛地一动，而 startle 通常是及物动词，主语是引起惊吓的事物，宾语才是受惊的人（常用被动式 be startled by）。这里不比较 start 更常见的“开始”义项。

Compared meaning: the point when something begins (noun).

比较义项：某事物开始的时间点（名词）。

• beginning

  The most neutral, general word for a starting point; fits almost any register and has no fixed collocation of its own.

  语气最中性、最通用的“开始”一词，几乎适用于任何语域，也没有专属的固定搭配。

  In the beginning, I found the course confusing, but everything eventually made sense.

  一开始，我觉得这门课很难懂，但后来一切都想通了。

• start 本词

  Very common in everyday speech, often used in fixed phrases like 'get off to a slow start' or 'from start to finish'.

  在日常口语中非常常见，常出现在“get off to a slow start”或“from start to finish”这类固定搭配里。

  She got off to a slow start but improved by the end of the race.

  她一开始起步很慢，但到比赛结束时表现有所提高。

• outset

  Formal and literary; almost always appears in the fixed phrase 'from the outset', stressing the very first moment before anything unfolds.

  语气正式、书面化，几乎总是出现在“from the outset”这个固定短语中，强调事情尚未展开的最初那一刻。

  From the outset, everyone knew the project would be difficult.

  从一开始，大家就都知道这个项目会很困难。

Beginning, start, and outset all mean the point when something begins. Beginning is the most neutral, general word. Start is common in everyday speech, often in fixed phrases. Outset is formal and literary, used almost as 'from the outset'. Start's verb meaning is not compared.

这三个词都指“开始的那个时间点”，但语气和使用场合不同：beginning最中性通用，start更口语化、常见于固定搭配，outset更正式、书面化。这里不比较start作动词（“开始”）的用法。

Compared meaning: a sudden movement from fright (noun).

比较义项：因惊吓而突然的动作/反应（名词）。

• start 本词

  The common everyday word for the sudden jerking movement of surprise; typically used in phrases like 'give a start' or 'wake with a start', not in technical writing.

  表示因惊吓而猛然一动的日常常用词，常用于“give a start”（猛然一惊）或“wake with a start”（惊醒）等短语中，不用于科技写作。

  He woke with a start when the alarm suddenly went off.

  闹钟突然响起时，他猛然一惊，醒了过来。

• startle

  Less common as a noun in casual speech; often appears in the technical phrase 'startle response' or 'startle reflex' describing an automatic physical reaction to sudden stimuli.

  作名词时在日常口语中较少使用，常出现在“startle response”或“startle reflex”（惊跳反射）这类术语中，描述对突发刺激的自动生理反应。

  Researchers measured the baby's startle response to a sudden loud noise.

  研究人员测量了婴儿对突如其来的巨响的惊跳反射。

As nouns, start and startle both mean a sudden movement of fright. Start is everyday, common in phrases like 'give a start'. Startle is rare as a noun in speech; it mainly appears in the technical term 'startle response'. Start's 'begin' meaning is not compared.

这两个词都可以指因突然受到惊吓而产生的动作或反应，但语体和搭配不同。start 是日常口语中常见的说法，多见于“give a start”（猛然一惊）或“wake with a start”（惊醒过来）这类固定搭配；startle 作名词较少用于日常口语，更常出现在“startle response”或“startle reflex”（惊跳反射）这类心理学或科学术语中。这里不比较 start 表示“开始”的常见义项。