begin
[bɪ'gɪn]
vt. 始

vi. 始

[] 始

1. When did you begin learning English?
   何始英语？
2. The new fare will be 1, beginning (from) next month.
   月起, 新费1英镑.
3. I have to begin with an apology.
   首先歉意.

begin
began, beginning, begun
[ noun ]

1. Israeli statesman (born in Russia) who (as prime minister of Israel) negotiated a peace treaty with Anwar Sadat (then the president of Egypt) (1913-1992)

<noun.person>

[ verb ]

1. take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

<verb.change> commence get get down set about set out start start out
We began working at dawn
Who will start?
Get working as soon as the sun rises!
The first tourists began to arrive in Cambodia
He began early in the day
Let's get down to work now

2. have a beginning, in a temporal, spatial, or evaluative sense

<verb.stative> start
The DMZ begins right over the hill
The second movement begins after the Allegro
Prices for these homes start at $250,000

3. set in motion, cause to start

<verb.change> commence lead off start
The U.S. started a war in the Middle East
The Iraqis began hostilities
begin a new chapter in your life

4. begin to speak or say

<verb.communication>
Now listen, friends,

5. be the first item or point, constitute the beginning or start, come first in a series

<verb.stative>
The number `one' begins the sequence
A terrible murder begins the novel
The convocation ceremony officially begins the semester

6. have a beginning, of a temporal event

<verb.stative>
WW II began in 1939 when Hitler marched into Poland
The company's Asia tour begins next month

7. have a beginning characterized in some specified way

<verb.stative> start
The novel begins with a murder
My property begins with the three maple trees
Her day begins with a workout
The semester begins with a convocation ceremony

8. begin an event that is implied and limited by the nature or inherent function of the direct object

<verb.social> start
begin a cigar
She started the soup while it was still hot
We started physics in 10th grade

9. achieve or accomplish in the least degree, usually used in the negative

<verb.social>
This economic measure doesn't even begin to deal with the problem of inflation
You cannot even begin to understand the problem we had to deal with during the war

10. begin to speak, understand, read, and write a language

<verb.communication>
She began Russian at an early age
We started French in fourth grade

Begin \Be*gin"\, v. t.
1. To enter on; to commence.

Ye nymphs of Solyma ! begin the song. --Pope.

2. To trace or lay the foundation of; to make or place a
beginning of.

The apostle begins our knowledge in the creatures,
which leads us to the knowledge of God. --Locke.

Syn: To commence; originate; set about; start.


Begin \Be*gin"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Began}, {Begun}; p. pr. &
vb. n. {Beginning}.] [AS. beginnan (akin to OS. biginnan, D.
& G. beginnen, OHG. biginnan, Goth., du-ginnan, Sw. begynna,
Dan. begynde); pref. be- + an assumed ginnan. [root]31. See
{Gin} to begin.]
1. To have or commence an independent or first existence; to
take rise; to commence.

Vast chain of being! which from God began. --Pope.

2. To do the first act or the first part of an action; to
enter upon or commence something new, as a new form or
state of being, or course of action; to take the first
step; to start. ``Tears began to flow.'' --Dryden.

When I begin, I will also make an end. --1 Sam. iii.
12.


Begin \Be*gin"\, n.
Beginning. [Poetic & Obs.] --Spenser.