1. [v]  commence in a manner calculated to bring good luck; "They auspicated the trip with a bottle of champagne"
2. [v]  indicate by signs; "These signs bode bad news"

AUSPICATE is a 9 letter word that starts with A.

1. \Aus"pi*cate\, a. [L. auspicatus, p. p. of auspicari
   to take auspices, fr. auspex a bird seer, an augur, a contr.
   of avispex; avis bird + specere, spicere, to view. See
   {Aviary}, {Spy}.]
   Auspicious. [Obs.] --Holland.
   

2. \Aus"pi*cate\, v. t.
   1. To foreshow; to foretoken. [Obs.] --B. Jonson.
   2. To give a favorable turn to in commencing; to inaugurate;
      -- a sense derived from the Roman practice of taking the
      auspicium, or inspection of birds, before undertaking any
      important business.
            They auspicate all their proceedings. --Burke.