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| Language: | Old English |
| Origin: | beginnan |
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be‧gin S1 W1
past tense began past participle begun present participle beginning
past tense began past participle begun present participle beginning1 to start doing something : 
As everybody's here, let's begin.In the third year students begin the study of classical Chinese. The President begins talks with the Prime Minister tonight.
start doing something
[intransitive and transitive]As everybody's here, let's begin.In the third year students begin the study of classical Chinese.The President begins talks with the Prime Minister tonight.2 if something begins, or you begin something, it starts to happen or exist from a particular time : It was the coldest winter since records began.
start happening
[intransitive and transitive]It was the coldest winter since records began.3 if you begin with something or begin by doing something, this is the first thing you do
do first
[intransitive]4 if a book, film, or word begins with something, it starts with a particular event or letter
book/word etc
[intransitive] begin with 'Psychosis' begins with a P.
'Psychosis' begins with a P.5 to start speaking : 'Ladies and gentlemen,' he began. ' I am delighted to be here.'
speech
[intransitive and transitive]'Ladies and gentlemen,' he began. ' I am delighted to be here.'6
to begin with
a) spoken used to introduce the first and most important point you want to make : Well, to begin with, he shouldn't even have been driving my car.
Well, to begin with, he shouldn't even have been driving my car.b) used to say that something was already in a particular condition before something else happened : I didn't break it! It was like that to begin with.
I didn't break it! It was like that to begin with.c) during the first part of a process or activity : The kids helped me to begin with, but they soon got bored.
The kids helped me to begin with, but they soon got bored.7 used to emphasize how difficult something is to understand etc : I can't begin to imagine how awful it was.
can't begin to understand/imagine etc
spokenI can't begin to imagine how awful it was.begin (something) as something
phrasal verbRoger began his career as an office boy.