begin

¹ American

[bih-gin] / bɪˈgɪn /

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:

end
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:

initiate, inaugurate, institute
to succeed to the slightest extent in (followed by an infinitive).

The money won't even begin to cover expenses.

Begin ² American

[bey-gin] / ˈbeɪ gɪn /

noun

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

begin ¹ British

/ bɪˈɡɪn /

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
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 British

/ ˈbɛɡɪn /

noun

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

begin Idioms

More idioms and phrases containing begin

Related Words

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.

Etymology

Origin of begin

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The chicken wing restaurant began with an idea in 2018, and with its distinctive branding, it quickly became a hit in the town.

From BBC

I would advise homeowners looking at a property to begin by ensuring that they can make the necessary property tax payments on their potential home.

From The Wall Street Journal

Roughly one in four workers operates outside the standard 9 to 5 schedule, including those who begin work very early in the morning.

From Science Daily

The Tata Steel Syndicate began seven years ago at the steel factory in Port Talbot as a light-hearted way to lift their spirits during busy working weeks.

From BBC

There are also concerns that Stamford Bridge is beginning to look dated, leaving Chelsea at risk of falling behind their rivals, particularly with new Premier League squad-cost ratio rules coming into force this summer.

From BBC

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