WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

start up
    v 1: get going or set in motion; "We simply could not start the
         engine"; "start up the computer" [syn: start, start up]
         [ant: stop]
    2: get off the ground; "Who started this company?"; "We embarked
       on an exciting enterprise"; "I start my day with a good
       breakfast"; "We began the new semester"; "The afternoon
       session begins at 4 PM"; "The blood shed started when the
       partisans launched a surprise attack" [syn: start, start
       up, embark on, commence]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

116 Moby Thesaurus words for "start up":
   bob up, bounce, bound, break forth, break in, break water,
   bring up, bristle up, broach, buck, buckjump, bundle, bundle off,
   burst forth, capriole, christen, clear, cock up, curvet, debouch,
   erupt, establish, extrude, flare up, flash, float, float up,
   fly up, found, fountain, get going, get in there, get off,
   get squared away, get under way, give a start, gleam, gush,
   hippety-hop, hop, hurdle, inaugurate, induct, initiate, install,
   institute, introduce, irrupt, jet, jump, jump over, jump up,
   jut out, kick off, launch, leap, leap over, leap up, leapfrog,
   lift up, make a beginning, make a move, negotiate, overjump,
   overleap, overskip, poke out, pop up, pounce, pounce on,
   pounce upon, project, protrude, protuberate, put in motion, raise,
   ring in, rocket, send, send forth, send off, set a course,
   set afloat, set agoing, set going, set in motion, set on foot,
   set up, shoot out, shoot up, ski jump, skip, skyrocket, spring,
   spring up, spurt, stand out, start, start aside, start going,
   start off, steeplechase, stick out, stick up, surface, turn on,
   updive, upleap, upshoot, upspear, upspring, upstart, usher in,
   vault, vault up, warm up