51Թ

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View synonyms for

begin

1

[bih-gin]

verb (used without object)

began, begun, beginning. 
  1. to proceed to perform the first or earliest part of some action; commence; start.

    The story begins with their marriage.

    Antonyms:
  2. to come into existence; arise; originate.

    The custom began during the Civil War.



verb (used with object)

began, begun, beginning. 
  1. to proceed to perform the first or earliest part of (some action).

    Begin the job tomorrow.

  2. to originate; be the originator of.

    civic leaders who began the reform movement.

    Synonyms: , ,
  3. to succeed to the slightest extent in (followed by an infinitive).

    The money won't even begin to cover expenses.

Begin

2

[bey-gin]

noun

  1. Menachem 1913–92, Israeli political leader, born in Poland: prime minister 1977–83; Nobel Peace Prize 1978.

begin

1

/ ɪˈɡɪ /

verb

  1. to start or cause to start (something or to do something)

  2. to bring or come into being for the first time; arise or originate

  3. to start to say or speak

  4. (used with a negative) to have the least capacity (to do something)

    he couldn't begin to compete with her

  5. in the first place

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Begin

2

/ ˈɛɡɪ /

noun

  1. 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

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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51Թ 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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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of begin1

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

In addition to the idioms beginning with begin, also see 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.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents executed a raid Saturday afternoon at a swap meet in Santa Fe Springs hours before a concert was to begin, witnesses said.

From

The internet is down forever, crops are dying, bees are extinct, the weather is erratic and famine is beginning to plague the world.

From

It is a first title of the year for Fritz, who will rise to fourth in the world rankings in time for Wimbledon, which begins on 30 June.

From

There were concerns, however, over the impact on the grass courts, with the men's tournament beginning at the same venue on Monday.

From

The sell-out race, which sees around 300,000 fans gather in north-west France, was a soporific event in 2025, with fewer incidents and accidents between the 62 cars which began the race than usual.

From

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