begin

¹

[bih-gin]

verb (used without object)

began, begun, beginning. 

1. to proceed to perform the first or earliest part of some action; commence; start.

   The story begins with their marriage.

   Antonyms: end

2. to come into existence; arise; originate.

   The custom began during the Civil War.

verb (used with object)

began, begun, beginning. 

1. to proceed to perform the first or earliest part of (some action).

   Begin the job tomorrow.

2. to originate; be the originator of.

   civic leaders who began the reform movement.

   Synonyms: initiate, inaugurate, institute

3. to succeed to the slightest extent in (followed by an infinitive).

   The money won't even begin to cover expenses.

Begin

²

[bey-gin]

noun

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

begin

¹

/ bɪˈɡɪn /

verb

1. to start or cause to start (something or to do something)

2. to bring or come into being for the first time; arise or originate

3. to start to say or speak

4. (used with a negative) to have the least capacity (to do something)

   he couldn't begin to compete with her

5. in the first place

Begin

²

/ ˈbɛɡɪn /

noun

1. 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of begin¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of begin¹

Old English beginnan ; related to Old High German biginnan , Gothic duginnan

Idioms and Phrases

• (begin to) see the light
• charity begins at home
• to start (begin) with

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

Walters scored a major coup in 1977 when she was the first TV journalist to speak jointly with Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin during Sadat’s historic visit to Jerusalem.

From Los Angeles Times

We started with Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, to see what we could find in the cutting room floor footage.

From Salon

A gifted student, Kilmer co-wrote and made his stage debut in How It All Began, a play based on the life of a German radical, at the Public Theatre.

From BBC

Begun in 2022, work was due to end this summer but that completion date has now been delayed until spring 2026 as a result of "periods of extreme weather".

From BBC

Begin warming the stock of your choice in the smaller pan.

From Salon

Related Words

• commence 
• create 
• do 
• establish 
• found 
• go ahead 
• go into 
• inaugurate 
• initiate 
• introduce 
• launch 
• lead 
• make 
• open 
• prepare 
• produce 
• set up 
• start 
• undertake