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I assume it's always　a (vs)noun, so 開始三秒 must be a noun composed of 開始｛かいし｝ and 三秒｛さんびょう｝? If that is true, does it mean "before 3 seconds have elapsed?" (it would seem so from the context), but given that 開始 usually means something to do with beginnings I am probably wrong. This came up in this sentence:

二度寝｛にどね｝の誘惑｛ゆうわく｝を開始三秒でノックアウトして、姿見｛すがたみ｝の前で軽く全身をチェック。

As I understand it so far: "Within 3 seconds / before 3 seconds have elapsed [?] I beat the temptation to go back to bed again. I then check on my body in the mirror　[without too much fuss]."

お助けください

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  • How do you use "(vs)noun"? What are you saying is always "a (vs)noun"? – Earthliŋ♦ Mar 17 '15 at 22:47
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    I think "vs" is EDICT's abbreviation for something like "verb (suru)", so I guess the OP is saying that they assume 開始 is a verbal noun (that is, a noun which readily appears in construction with する). – snailplane♦ Mar 17 '15 at 23:18
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「開始三秒」, in this particular context, means "three seconds into the match".

Why "match"? Because the author is using a metaphor in likening resisting one's temptation to go back to bed to a boxing match. The person "won" the match in just three seconds into it.

Your TL shows you have got the gist of the sentence.

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Just a speaker and no expert on the grammar of this, but 開始三秒【かいしさんびょう】 means "Three seconds after it started/Three seconds in", so your translation wasn't far from that.

I've always assumed it's just a modern way of shortening 「開始【かいし】してから三秒【さんびょう】」.

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  • Not sure what is "modern" about the expression. – l'électeur Mar 17 '15 at 23:25

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