Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a phr. used to indicate that one is already sufficiently displeased or annoyed by statements that have been made and that one does not need the irritation that their repetition would cause; or, usu. to a child, meaning, ‘I’m annoyed already, don’t start behaving badly and make things worse’.

1885

19001950

2000

1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 28 Feb. 12/1: But, listen! Thus it may befall: / They might make sexons of you all; / Keep you at digging – labour dread – / The graves of the already dead! / We think – we really do – don’t start! – / That this will be your noble dart.
1937		J. Curtis There Ain’t No Justice 99: ‘Come in fer me tea and all I hear’s a bleeding argy-bargy. Like a lot of old women. Strike a light.’ ‘Yar. Don’t you start too.’.
1938		X. Herbert Capricornia (1939) 69: ‘Where’d I get me mouth — and me brains too?’ ‘Not off me you poor galoot. And don’t you start young man.’.
1949		R. Park Poor Man’s Orange 57: She looked at Puffing Billy threateningly as he belched. ‘Don’t you start, now, or I’ll beat your black brains out with the poker.’.
1977		S. Stallone Paradise Alley (1978) 29: ‘He stinks like fish!’ ‘Don’t start, Cosmo!’.
1989		M. Amis London Fields 272: She said, ‘Keith?’ I said, ‘Yeah?’ She said, ‘Keith?’ I said, ‘Don’t start.’.
2000		C. Cook Robbers (2001) 126: How’d the fuck would you know? he asked. Man, don’t you start.

1. to nag, to assail verbally; to criticize.

1891

19001950

1993

1891		F.W. Carew Autobiog. of a Gipsey 416: The missus started on Alf a good ’un.
1924		D. Hammett ‘Death on Pine Street’ in Nightmare Town (2001) 194: Then she started on me, and I told him that if he didn’t take her away I’d hurt her.
1940		E. O’Neill Long Day’s Journey into Night Act I: Now don’t start in on poor Jamie.
1962		A. Wesker Chips with Everything I vii: Don’t start on me, Andy, there’s a good man.
1971		B. Crump ‘Bastards I Have Met’ in Best of Barry Crump (1974) 265: He wasn’t even particularly interested in Janice Weedbourne, who we knew was the cause of Suggy starting on Fusk in the first place.
1988		W.D. Myers Me, Mop, and the Moondance Kid 70: [H]e just started up with me and then started pushing me’.
1986		F. Taylor Auf Wiedersehen Pet Two 106: Aw, don’t start on Ally again.
1993		T. Jones Pugilist at Rest 4: Hey baby was not in the Marine Corps for very long. The reason for this was that he started in on my buddy, Jorgeson.

2. to attack physically.

1908

1910192019301940195019601970198019902000

2007

1908		‘Doss Chiderdoss’ ‘Significant Strains’ Sporting Times 9 May 1/3: So we started on it, when we’d skirmished round.
1910		H.G. Wells Hist. of Mr Polly (1946) 198: ‘What won’t I do,’ he said. ‘once I start in on you?’.
1925		Wodehouse Carry on, Jeeves 6: I started in again on Types of Ethical Theory.
1937		F.C. Painton ‘The Devil Must Pay’ in Goodstone Pulps (1970) 18/2: If I really start on you, I’ll take you apart.
1953		K. Tennant Joyful Condemned 23: I’ll give you five minutes, and then I’ll start in on you.
1966		P. Willmott Adolescent Boys of East London (1969) 150: If they hadn’t started on a couple of mates, we wouldn’t have done anything.
1983		S. King Christine 152: That Repperton pushed the wrong button when he started in on Cunningham.
1989		T. Blacker Fixx 305: Then he started on John.
2000		F. Mac Anna Cartoon City 10: ‘Are you starting on me?’ the man yelled. ‘Come on then, I’ll take the lot of ye.’.
2007		R. Milward Apples (2023) 48: I told him I got started outside Easterside shops.

3. to seduce, to have sexual intercourse with.

1964

196519701975

1977

1964		B. Jackson Get Your Ass in the Water (1974) 219: I woke up this morning with a hard on, / I didn’t have a damn thing to start on.
1977		S. Berkoff East in Decadence and Other Plays (1985) 77: When he starts on me it’s like being assaulted, it’s dirty.

see stir one’s stumps under stir v.