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Green’s Dictionary of Slang

starter n.¹

[SE start, to jump in surprise; a question, esp. as to one’s clandestine activities, may cause one to do this]

1. (UK Und.) a question.

1674		Head Canting Academy (2nd edn).
c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Starter c. a Question.
1725		New Canting Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. [as cit. c.1698].

2. a restless person, one who leaves a convivial company.

c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: I am no Starter; I shan’t flinch, or cry to go Home.
1725		New Canting Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: starter, one who leaves a jolly company, a milksop; he is no starter, he will sit longer than a hen.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum [as cit. 1785].
1821		Egan Life in London (1869) 286: [note] The lateness of the hour never had any influence upon the minds of our trio while ‘mirth was afloat;’ and neither tom, jerry, or logic came under the denomination of starters!