BEGIN Definition & Meaning

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begin

[ bih-gin ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

verb (used without object)

began begun beginning

to proceed to perform the first or earliest part of some action; commence; start:
The story begins with their marriage.
Antonyms:
to come into existence; arise; originate:
The custom began during the Civil War.

verb (used with object)

began, begun, beginning.

to proceed to perform the first or earliest part of (some action):
Begin the job tomorrow.
to originate; be the originator of:
civic leaders who began the reform movement.
Synonyms: , ,
to succeed to the slightest extent in (followed by an infinitive):
The money won't even begin to cover expenses.

Begin

[ bey-gin ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

�ѱ�·�Բ�·�� [m, uh, -, nah, -, kh, uh, m], 1913–92, Israeli political leader, born in Poland: prime minister 1977–83; Nobel Peace Prize 1978.

Begin

/ ˈ��ɛɡɪ�� /

noun

BeginMenachem19131992MIsraeliPolishPOLITICS: statesmanPOLITICS: prime minister Menachem (məˈnɑːkɪm). 1913–92, Israeli statesman, born in Poland. In Palestine after 1942, he became a leader of the militant Zionists; prime minister of Israel (1977–83); Nobel peace prize jointly with Sadat 1978. In 1979 he concluded the Camp David treaty with Anwar Sadat of Egypt

begin

/ ��ɪˈɡɪ�� /

verb

to start or cause to start (something or to do something)
to bring or come into being for the first time; arise or originate
to start to say or speak
used with a negative to have the least capacity (to do something)
he couldn't begin to compete with her
to begin with
in the first place

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of begin¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English beginnen, Old English beginnan, equivalent to be- be- + -ginnan “to begin,” perhaps originally “to open,” akin to yawn

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of begin¹

Old English beginnan ; related to Old High German biginnan , Gothic duginnan

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Idioms and Phrases

charity begins at home
(begin to) see the light
to start (begin) with

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Synonym Study

Begin, commence, initiate, start (when followed by noun or gerund) refer to setting into motion or progress something that continues for some time. Begin is the common term: to begin knitting a sweater. Commence is a more formal word, often suggesting a more prolonged or elaborate beginning: to commence proceedings in court. Initiate implies an active and often ingenious first act in a new field: to initiate a new procedure. Start means to make a first move or to set out on a course of action: to start paving a street.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Mayada began to count off the dead she and surviving villagers had found in the houses nearby before stopping at the thought of one her neighbors, a 15-year-old boy.

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Before my debut, I had vocal lessons and as I started recording, my vocal style naturally began to develop.

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About 70% of the school was destroyed by the fire that began Jan. 7.

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At the beginning of 1933, the National Socialist German Workers Party, better known as the Nazis, found themselves on the brink of financial ruin.

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The 14-year-old began drumming at the age of five and recently released her first single with her band.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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