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   begin

   /bɪˈɡɪn/

   verb

   • 1. perform or undergo the first part of (an action or activity): "Peter had just begun a life sentence for murder" Similar startset aboutgo aboutembark onlaunch intoget down totake upturn one's hand toundertaketackleinitiateset in motioninstituteinaugurateget ahead withinformal:get cracking onget going onformal:commenceOpposite cease
   • ▪ come into being or have its starting point at a certain time or place: "a new era had begun" Similar appeararisebecome apparentmake an appearancespring upcrop upturn upsurfaceemergecome into existencecome into beingoriginatestartdevelopunfoldset inbecome establishedhappenoccurformal:commenceliterary:come to passOpposite disappear
   • ▪ (of a person) hold a specified role before holding any other: "he began as a drummer"
   • ▪ have as a first element: "words beginning with a vowel"
   • ▪ set to work at: "Picasso began on a great canvas"
   • ▪ start speaking by saying: "‘Mr Smith,’ he began" Similar openlead offget under wayget goingget off the groundstartstart offgo aheadinformal:start the ball rollingkick offget the show on the roadget to itfire awaytake the plungeformal:commenceOpposite concludefinish
   • ▪ (of an article) cost at least (a specified amount): "rooms begin at £139"
   • 2. not have any chance or likelihood of doing a specified thing: informal "I can't begin to tell you how much I hate that commercial"

   Word Origin Old Englishbeginnan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German beginnen.

   Scrabble Points: 8

   • B

     3

   • E

     1

   • G

     2

   • I

     1

   • N

     1

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