begin
Use Begin in a sentence
verb (used without object)
1.
to proceed to perform the first or earliest part of some action; commence; start: The story begins with their marriage.
2.
to come into existence; arise; originate: The custom began during the Civil War.
verb (used with object)
3.
to proceed to perform the first or earliest part of (some action): Begin the job tomorrow.
4.
to originate; be the originator of: civic leaders who began the reform movement.
5.
to succeed to the slightest extent in (followed by an infinitive): The money won't even begin to cover expenses.
00:10
Begin
is one of our favorite verbs.
So is skedaddle. Does it mean:
| to flee; abscond: |
| to run away hurriedly; flee. |
Origin:
before 1000; Middle English beginnen, Old English beginnan, equivalent to be- be- + -ginnan to begin, perhaps orig. to open, akin to yawn
before 1000; Middle English beginnen, Old English beginnan, equivalent to be- be- + -ginnan to begin, perhaps orig. to open, akin to yawn
Synonyms
3. 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. 4. institute, inaugurate, initiate.
3. 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. 4. institute, inaugurate, initiate.
Antonyms
1. end.
1. end.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
noun
Me·na·chem [muh-nah-khuh
m] , 1913–92, Israeli political leader, born in Poland: prime minister 1977–83; Nobel peace prize 1978.
[muh-nah-khuhm] , 1913–92, Israeli political leader, born in Poland: prime minister 1977–83; Nobel peace prize 1978.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To begin
Collins
World English Dictionary
begin (bɪˈɡɪn) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —vb , -gins, -ginning, -gan, -gun | |
| 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. | to begin with in the first place |
| [Old English beginnan; related to Old High German biginnan, Gothic duginnan] | |
| Begin (ˈbɛɡɪn) | |
| —n | |
| 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 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
begin
O.E. beginnan "to begin, attempt, undertake," a rare word beside the more usual form onginnan (class III strong verb; past tense ongann, pp. ongunnen); from bi- "be" + W.Gmc. *ginnan, of obscure meaning and found only in compounds, perhaps "to open, open up" (cf. O.H.G. in-ginnan "to cut open, open up,"
also "begin, undertake"). Cognates elsewhere in Germanic include O.H.G. beginnan, M.Du. beghinnen, Ger. beginnen, O.Fris. bijenna, Goth. duginnan.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases
begin
In addition to the idioms beginning with begin, also see charity begins at home; (begin to) see the light; to start (begin) with.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Example sentences
If you've never grown heirlooms before and don't know where to begin, start with a sampler.
He used the same rhetorical ploy to begin the two addresses.
Acquisition studies even provide evidence where theory makes predictions but intuitions of grammaticality begin to falter.
Electric images of dancers leaping and twirling don't begin to expose the sweat and strain they undergo.
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