(begin an activity)

  • 1begin — begin, commence, start, initiate, inaugurate are comparable when they mean to set something going or in progress or to take the first step in a course, process, or operation. Begin, commence, and start are also used intransitively with the… …

    New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 2begin — ► VERB (beginning; past began; past part. begun) 1) perform or undergo the first part of (an action or activity). 2) come into being. 3) have as its starting point. 4) (begin on/upon) set to work on. 5 …

    English terms dictionary

  • 3begin — be|gin [ bı gın ] (past tense be|gan [ bı gæn ] ; past participle be|gun [ bı gʌn ] ; present participle be|gin|ning) verb *** 1. ) transitive to start doing something: begin doing something: He began shouting at them. begin to do something:… …

    Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • 4begin — /bI gIn/ past tense began begun / gVn/ verb (I, T) 1 START DOING/FEELING to start doing something or start feeling a particular way: begin to do sth: We began to wonder if the train would ever arrive. | begin: I ll begin when you re ready. |… …

    Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • 5begin */*/*/ — UK [bɪˈɡɪn] / US verb Word forms begin : present tense I/you/we/they begin he/she/it begins present participle beginning past tense began UK [bɪˈɡæn] / US past participle begun UK [bɪˈɡʌn] / US 1) [intransitive] to start happening or existing She …

    English dictionary

  • 6begin — be|gin W1S1 [bıˈgın] v past tense began [ ˈgæn] past participle begun [ ˈgʌn] present participle beginning ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(start doing something)¦ 2¦(start happening)¦ 3¦(do first)¦ 4¦(book/word etc)¦ 5¦(speech)¦ 6 to begi …

    Dictionary of contemporary English

  • 7begin — verb (began; begun; beginning) Etymology: Middle English beginnen, from Old English beginnan; akin to Old High German biginnan to begin, Old English onginnan Date: before 12th century intransitive verb 1. to do the first part of an action …

    New Collegiate Dictionary

  • 8begin — verb (begins, beginning; past began; past participle begun) 1》 perform or undergo the first part of (an action or activity).     ↘(begin on/upon) set to work on.     ↘start speaking.     ↘(begin with) have as a first element.     ↘(begin at) (of… …

    English new terms dictionary

  • 9begin*/*/*/ — [bɪˈgɪn] (past tense began [bɪˈgæn] ; past participle begun [bɪˈgʌn] ; present participle beginning) verb 1) to start happening, or to be the first thing to happen The ceremony will begin at noon.[/ex] We usually use ‘an before a word that begins …

    Dictionary for writing and speaking English

  • 10embark on an activity — begin doing something …

    English contemporary dictionary