a false start

a failed attempt to begin an activity or event

Usage notes: In a race, a false start is when one person starts before the signal has been given.

After a false start when he left his first job after only a week, he was offered some modelling work.

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Nevukhadnetztzar	-	Biblical Hebrew
Eshe	-	Eastern African, Swahili
Adler	['ædlər]
Eddy	ED-ee	English
Ephraim	EE-free-im (English), EE-frəm (English), E-free-im (English), E-frəm (English)	Biblical, Jewish, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Birgit	BIR-git (Swedish)	Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, German