begin (begins 3rd person present) (beginning present participle) (began past tense) (begun past participle )
1 verb To beginto do something means to start doing it.
(=start) (Antonym: stop)
He stood up and began to move around the room... V to-inf
The weight loss began to look more serious... V to-inf
Snow began falling again. V -ing
2 verb When something begins or when you begin it, it takes place from a particular time onwards.
(=start, commence) (Antonym: end)
The problems began last November... V
He has just begun his fourth year in hiding... V n
The US is prepared to begin talks immediately. V n
3 verb If you beginwith something, or beginby doing something, this is the first thing you do.
(=start) (Antonym: end)
Could I begin with a few formalities? V with n
...a businessman who began by selling golf shirts from the boot of his car... V by -ing
He began his career as a sound editor. V n prep
4 verb You use begin to mention the first thing that someone says.
no cont (Antonym: conclude)
`Professor Theron,' he began, `I'm very pleased to see you'... V with quote
He didn't know how to begin. V
5 verb If one thing began as another, it first existed in the form of the second thing.
no cont
(=start)
What began as a local festival has blossomed into an international event. V as n
6 verb If you say that a thing or place begins somewhere, you are talking about one of its limits or edges.
no cont (Antonym: end)
The fate line begins close to the wrist... V prep/adv
7 verb If a word begins with a particular letter, that is the first letter of that word.
no cont
(=start) (Antonym: end)
The first word begins with an F. V with n
8 verb If you say that you cannot beginto imagine, understand, or explain something, you are emphasizing that it is almost impossible to explain, understand, or imagine.
no cont, with brd-neg (emphasis)
You can't begin to imagine how much that saddens me. V to-inf
9 You use to begin with when you are talking about the first stage of a situation, event, or process.
to begin with phrase PHR with cl
It was great to begin with but now it's difficult.
10 You use to begin with to introduce the first of several things that you want to say.
to begin with phrase PHR with cl
(=firstly)
`What do scientists you've spoken with think about that?'—`Well, to begin with, they doubt it's going to work.'
11
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to begin life
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life
