begin
/bɪˈɡɪn/ verb, noun
Forms begins beginning began begun beginnest beganst begannest beginneth
- verb (ergative) To start, to initiate or take the first step into something. “I began playing the piano at the age of five.”
- verb (intransitive) To come into existence.
- noun (nonstandard) Beginning; start.
Synonyms
commence go inchoate initiate open issue get originate rock and roll start Menachem Begin get down start out set about set out lead off
Antonyms
Etymology
From Middle English beginnen, from Old English beginnan (“to begin”), from Proto-West Germanic *biginnan, from Proto-Germanic *biginnaną (“to begin”), from be- + base verb *ginnaną also found in Old English onginnan.
Webster’s 1913
- verb To have or commence an independent or first existence; to take rise; to commence.
- verb To do the first act or the first part of an action; to enter upon or commence something new, as a new form or state of being, or course of action; to take the first step; to start. "Tears began to flow." Dryden.
- verb To enter on; to commence.
- verb To trace or lay the foundation of; to make or place a beginning of. The apostle begins our knowledge in the creatures, which leads us to the knowledge of God. Locke.
Etymology [AS. beginnan (akin to OS. biginnan, D. & G. beginnen, OHG. biginnan, Goth., du-ginnan, Sw. begynna, Dan. begynde); pref. be- + an assumed ginnan. sq. root31. See Gin to begin.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “begin”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details