This British colloquialism apparently had the earlier sense of bracing one-self for an effort, probably in reference to the way runners pull up their socks beforestartingoff on a race. Or the expression may simply refer to making one-self presentable in appearance.
startingdefinition: the act of beginning something. Check meanings, examples, usage tips, pronunciation, domains, and related words. Discover expressions like "fire thestartinggun", "startingto make waves", "startingline".
-startingA signal to begin (as in a race) "the runners awaited the start"; -startingsignal A line indicating the location of thestartof a race or a game "The runners took their positions at thestart"; -startingline, scratch, scratch line The advantage gained by beginning early (as in a race) "with an hour's start he will be hard to ...

This particular example perfectly highlights why Starting A Saltwater Aquarium For Beginners is so captivating.
Aug 24, 2025 ·The act of something that starts.
When do youstartyour course / your new job? We'll bestarting(the session) at six o'clock. Can youstart(=begina new job) on Monday? [ + -ing verb ] Theystartedbuild ing the house in January. [ + to infinitive ] I'd juststartedto write a letter when the phone rang.

a place where, or a time when, a beginning is made, as in a race;startingpoint ahead from the start
As a verb,startmeans to begin an activity or event. Some people turn to the last page of a book before they evenstartit, so they'll be prepared for the ending.Startcan also mean to move suddenly in surprise or alarm, or to startle.