1. A small piece of burning material that comes from a fire or is produced by rubbing or hitting two hard objects together: "A spark from the logs in the fireplace could set something in this cabin on fire."
2. A quality that makes a person or something pleasant, interesting, or successful: "He's a great actor, but he seems to have lost some of the spark he used to have."

1. To cause something to start or to happen: "His accusation is bound to spark an argument."
2. To increase interest, liveliness, or flavor to something: "His jokes always spark laughter before he even starts to tell them."

1. Complete or utterly; extreme; entirely: "Too many people are living in stark poverty."

"All of that loud noise is about to drive me stark raving insane and why is that guy walking down the street stark naked?"

2. Unpleasant and difficult to accept or to experience: "The stark reality of his death while driving should be a stark reminder of the dangers of driving while drunk."

To begin doing something or to do the first part of something: "She saw the new assignment as a chance to start a new life."

"The fitness trainer suggested that we start with some warm-up exercises."

The first part of an activity, development, event, or the time at which something begins: "From the start of this winter, it has been snowing at least once a week."

"The discovery of the books could be the start of a better understanding of how the pioneers were able to survive as they traveled across the country."

The act or process of setting into operation or motion: "They were looking to start-up a new business and were looking for start-up money."

1. Businesses or undertakings that have recently started operation: "Their businesses grew from very small start-ups to multimillion-dollar corporations."
2. Primarily in the U.S., newly successful people, businesses, etc.: "A few years ago, several guys had successful start-ups with their internet companies."

Someone who has gained sudden wealth, power or influence; but who has either not gained social acceptance or has become arrogant or presumptuous: "She is a young upstart from a local university who thinks she knows more than the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of our company."

People of humble origins who attain sudden wealth, power, or importance; especially, those who are made immodest or presumptuous by the changes: "Simply because these upstarts got rich very quickly with their new computer site doesn't necessarily mean that they will continue to rake in the money for very long."