jumping-off place

[ juhm-ping-awf, -of ]

noun

1. a place for use as a starting point:

   Paris was the jumping-off place for our tour of Europe.

2. an out-of-the-way place; the farthest limit of anything settled or civilized.

jumping-off place

noun

1. a starting point, as in an enterprise
2. a final or extreme condition
3. a place where one leaves civilization to go into the wilderness
4. a very remote spot

Word History and Origins

Origin of jumping-off place¹

An Americanism dating back to 1820–30

Example Sentences

The practice dates back to the Gold Rush, when the city’s powerful attraction as a jumping-off place for Forty-Niners seeking their fortunes in the nearby hills generated an equally potent counter-narrative.

From Los Angeles Times

This criteria as a jumping-off place naturally leads to a wildly diverse group of people.

From Los Angeles Times

“Rely on seasonal greenery as a jumping-off place,” she says.

From Washington Post

“I was at a jumping-off place where jumping out a window seemed like a good idea,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

“I think it could be a great jumping-off place for a memoir.”

From Washington Post