From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishhead startˌhead ˈstart noun [countable] 1 ADVANTAGEan advantage that helps you to be successfulgive somebody/get/have a head start Give your children a head start by sending them to nursery school.2 DSa start in a race in which you begin earlier or further ahead than someone else
Examples from the Corpus
head start• Sophomore Marvin Powell will have a chance to get a head start at fullback over incoming freshman Ted Iacenda.• It was half a mile to the chip shop, so you had to get a head start.• He had a head start, in that he was already a self-made eccentric.• So give her a head start.• Hey, look on the bright side, at least it gives them a head start for their biology GCSEs.• This will give you a head start and make it difficult for the driver to follow.give somebody/get/have a head start• He'd given me a head start in my inquiries.• Hey, look on the bright side, at least it gives them a head start for their biology GCSEs.• Do not try to give yourself a head start by dieting earlier than you should.• This will give you a head start and make it difficult for the driver to follow.• He wouldn't be expecting it, and that would give her the head start she needed. 