beginning

[bih-gin-ing] /bɪˈgɪn ɪŋ/
noun
1.
an act or circumstance of entering upon an action or state:
the beginning of hostilities.
2.
the point of time or space at which anything begins:
the beginning of the Christian era; the beginning of the route.
3.
the first part:
the beginning of the book; the beginning of the month.
4.
Often, beginnings. the initial stage or part of anything:
the beginnings of science.
5.
origin; source; first cause:
A misunderstanding about the rent was the beginning of their quarrel.
adjective
6.
just formed:
a beginning company.
7.
first; opening:
the beginning chapters of a book.
8.
basic or introductory:
beginning Spanish.
9.
learning the fundamentals:
a beginning swimmer.
Origin
1175-1225; Middle English beginnung, -ing. See begin, -ing1
Synonyms
1. initiation, inauguration, inception. 2. start, commencement, outset, onset, arising, emergence.
Antonyms
1. ending. 2. end.

begin

[bih-gin] /bɪˈgɪn/
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.
2.
to come into existence; arise; originate:
The custom began during the Civil War.
verb (used with object), began, begun, beginning.
3.
to proceed to perform the first or earliest part of (some action):
Begin the job tomorrow.
4.
to originate; be the originator of:
civic leaders who began the reform movement.
5.
to succeed to the slightest extent in (followed by an infinitive):
The money won't even begin to cover expenses.
Origin
before 1000; Middle English beginnen, Old English beginnan, equivalent to be- be- + -ginnan to begin, perhaps orig. to open, akin to yawn
Synonyms
3. 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. 4. institute, inaugurate, initiate.
Antonyms
1. end.
Examples from the web for beginning
  • The event was the beginning of his rise to the status of superstar.
  • It appears investors are beginning to get comfortable with risk again.
  • I've been here since the beginning and will be here till the end.
  • It's the beginning of a three-part story and the beginning so far delivers on its promise of a good mystery.
  • Fish are served whole, head and tail intact, symbolizing a good beginning and end in the coming year.
  • The expedition marked the beginning of modern oceanography.
  • The flowers last forever, too, and barely fade even when they're beginning to form seeds.
  • Study of those activities lags behind research into genes and proteins but is beginning to heat up.
  • Finally, however, scientists are beginning to appreciate viruses as fundamental players in the history of life.
  • And investigators are now beginning to create such tests.
British Dictionary definitions for beginning

beginning

/bɪˈɡɪnɪŋ/
noun
1.
a start; commencement
2.
(often pl) a first or early part or stage
3.
the place where or time when something starts
4.
an origin; source

begin

/bɪˈɡɪn/
verb -gins, -ginning, -gan, -gun
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.
to begin with, in the first place
Word Origin
Old English beginnan; related to Old High German biginnan, Gothic duginnan

Begin

/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 Origin and History for beginning
n.

late 12c., "time when something begins," from begin. Meaning "act of starting something" is from early 13c. The Old English word was fruma.

begin

v.

Old English beginnan "to begin, attempt, undertake," a rare word beside the more usual form onginnan (class III strong verb; past tense ongann, past participle ongunnen); from bi- (see be-) + West Germanbic *ginnan, of obscure meaning and found only in compounds, perhaps "to open, open up" (cf. Old High German in-ginnan "to cut open, open up," also "begin, undertake"), with sense evolution from "open" to "begin." Cognates elsewhere in Germanic include Old Frisian biginna "to begin," Middle Dutch beghinnen, Old High German beginnan, German beginnen, Old Frisian bijenna "to begin," Gothic duginnan.

Idioms and Phrases with beginning

begin

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