head start

IPA/ˌhed ˈstɑːt/
IPA/ˌhed ˈstɑːrt/

head start — 名詞

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

1.名詞B2
釋義

領先；優勢

比賽或競爭中比對手先起步的優勢

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.

渡邊團隊因先前的研究而在設計上取得了領先。

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

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

率先抵達第一個檢查站的跑者，會比其他選手取得領先優勢。

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

好的開始

有利於未來發展的開端

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.

在繁忙的商圈開餐廳，能讓你在吸引顧客方面有個好的開始。

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.

Mei-Lin 的暑期實習為她從事新聞業的夢想提供了一個好的起步。

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.