begin
to proceed to perform the first or earliest part of some action; commence; start: The story begins with their marriage.
to come into existence; arise; originate: The custom began during the Civil War.
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.
to succeed to the slightest extent in (followed by an infinitive): The money won't even begin to cover expenses.
Origin of begin
1synonym study For begin
Other words for begin
Opposites for begin
Words Nearby begin
Other definitions for Begin (2 of 2)
Me·na·chem [muh-nah-khuhm], /məˈnɑ xəm/, 1913–92, Israeli political leader, born in Poland: prime minister 1977–83; Nobel Peace Prize 1978.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use begin in a sentence
That began to change in 1997, when the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations recognized the American Mountain Guides Association’s accreditation.
Then she and a small team wheel it out to their spot in the parking lot, and a long line of cars begins to wind its way toward her — their occupants’ windows rolled down and sleeves rolled up.
The joy of vax: The people giving the shots are seeing hope, and it’s contagious | Maura Judkis | February 25, 2021 | Washington PostWhile still a teenager, he began running a regular dice game on the sidewalk at West Roosevelt Road and South Kedzie Avenue, in the heart of Lawndale.
Reporting for the series on the coronavirus and racial disparities began early in the pandemic.
ProPublica’s COVID-19 Stories Win Polk Award for Health Reporting | by ProPublica | February 24, 2021 | ProPublicaThe bear, now less than 100 feet away, glanced over at us and began to saunter left, his cadence nauseatingly cool.
Christie has problems, and they begin with the fact that photos and videos and memes can haunt us.
He could order the Justice Department to begin the necessary regulatory work.
That kind of compassion might go a long way toward helping us begin to respond to a hurting world.
My trip takes the reverse path, and I begin by assessing the depth of my Shakespeare knowledge in his birthplace.
We can also begin to plan our wardrobes to match our new and improved selves.
They are very urgent questions; our sons and daughters will have to begin to deal with them from the moment they leave college.
The Salvaging Of Civilisation | H. G. (Herbert George) WellsIf we are to have a real education along lines of expression we must begin with the "content," or cause, of expression.
Expressive Voice Culture | Jessie Eldridge SouthwickMen cannot see the world clearly and they cannot, therefore, begin to think about it rightly.
The Salvaging Of Civilisation | H. G. (Herbert George) WellsMuch later, in the case of all but gifted children, do the mysteries of harmony begin to take on definite form and meaning.
Children's Ways | James Sully"But it was n't a lie," Punch would begin, charging into a laboured explanation that landed him more hopelessly in the mire.
Kipling Stories and Poems Every Child Should Know, Book II | Rudyard Kipling
British Dictionary definitions for begin (1 of 2)
/ (bɪˈɡɪn) /
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
Origin of begin
1British Dictionary definitions for Begin (2 of 2)
/ (ˈbɛɡɪn) /
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
Other Idioms and Phrases with begin
In addition to the idioms beginning with begin
- beginning of the end, the
- begin to see daylight
- begin to see the light
- begin with
also see:
- charity begins at home
- (begin to) see the light
- to start (begin) with
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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