[bi-gin-ing] 
| 1. | an act or circumstance of entering upon an action or state: the beginning of hostilities. |
| 2. | the point of time or space at which anything begins: the beginning of the Christian era; the beginning of the route. |
| 3. | the first part: the beginning of the book; the beginning of the month. |
| 4. | Often, beginnings. the initial stage or part of anything: the beginnings of science. |
| 5. | origin; source; first cause: A misunderstanding about the rent was the beginning of their quarrel. |
| 6. | just formed: a beginning company. |
| 7. | first; opening: the beginning chapters of a book. |
| 8. | basic or introductory: beginning Spanish. |
| 9. | learning the fundamentals: a beginning swimmer. |
| be·gin·ning (bĭ-gĭn'ĭng) n.
Synonyms: These nouns denote the initial stage of a developmental process: the beginning of a new era in technology; the birth of generative grammar; the dawn of civilization; the genesis of quantum mechanics; the nascence of classical sculpture; the rise and decline of an ancient city-state. |
ɪŋ