head start

IPA/ˌhed ˈstɑːt/
IPA/ˌhed ˈstɑːrt/

head start — noun

1. a lead or early advantage that one person or team has over rivals, especially ne

1.名詞B2
釋義

a lead or early advantage that one person or team has over rivals, especially near the beginning of a race, contest, or competitive project — for example, the Watanabe team had a head start on the design because of their earlier research.

例句

The Watanabe team had a head start on the design because of their earlier research.

head start on [something] — advantage in a task or project

Runners who reach the first checkpoint early gain a head start over the pack.

同義詞
  • advantage

    broader and more general; 'head start' is specifically an early advantage

  • lead

    focuses on the distance ahead in a race or ranking, not necessarily at the beginning

  • edge

    suggests a slight advantage in skill or position, not tied to time

反義詞
  • handicap

    a disadvantage imposed to make a competition fair, opposite of an advantage

文法句型

get/have/give someone a head start on/over someone

用法筆記

Commonly used with the verbs 'get', 'have', and 'give'. The prepositions 'on' and 'over' both appear after 'head start', with 'on' slightly more frequent in everyday contexts and 'over' more common in competitive settings.

常見錯誤

❌I want to head start my project early.
✅I want to get a head start on my project early.
💡'head start' is a noun, not a verb phrase.

2. a strong or favorable beginning that makes it more likely for someone or somethi

2.名詞B2
釋義

a strong or favorable beginning that makes it more likely for someone or something to succeed later — for example, a new restaurant with a head start in a busy location tends to attract customers more quickly.

例句

Opening a restaurant in a busy area gives you a head start in attracting customers.

head start in [doing something] — favorable position for a goal

Mei-Lin's summer internship provided a head start toward her dream career in journalism.

同義詞
  • good start

    less idiomatic but means the same; 'head start' emphasises time advantage

  • advantage

    broader; a head start is a type of advantage linked to timing

文法句型

a head start in/to/toward [something]

用法筆記

This sense focuses on a favourable beginning rather than a lead over rivals. The contrast is with a 'late start' or a 'rough start', not with another competitor.