lead off vs start

lead off is not a noun while start is a noun.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
lead off	No	No	Yes	No
start	Yes	No	Yes	No

As verbs, lead off and start are synonyms defined as:

Other synonyms of lead off include begin, commence.

As verbs, start is a hyponym of lead off; that is, start is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than lead off:

lead off (noun)	start (noun)
	the act of starting something
	a sudden involuntary movement
	a turn to be a starter (in a game at the beginning)
	the advantage gained by beginning early (as in a race)
	a signal to begin (as in a race)
	the beginning of anything
	a line indicating the location of the start of a race or a game
	the time at which something is supposed to begin

lead off (verb)	start (verb)
set in motion, cause to start	take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
teach immoral behavior to	set in motion, cause to start
	play in the starting lineup
	bring into being
	get off the ground
	begin or set in motion
	get going or set in motion
	depart for someplace
	bulge outward
	move or jump suddenly, as if in surprise or alarm
	begin work or acting in a certain capacity, office or job
	begin an event that is implied and limited by the nature or inherent function of the direct object
	have a beginning, in a temporal, spatial, or evaluative sense
	have a beginning characterized in some specified way