Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

beginning

 noun
     
be‧gin‧ning S1 W2 [countable usually singular]
1 the start or first part of an event, story, period of time etcCOLLOCATIONS COLLOCATIONS
since the beginning (of something) at the beginning (of something) from the beginning in the beginning mark the beginning of something herald/signal the beginning of something (=show that something is starting) be just/only the beginning (=used to emphasize that something will continue or develop) right at the beginning right from the beginning the very beginning from beginning to end a new beginning start at the beginning (=start an activity or story at the point where it is meant to start)
beginning of
She's been here since the beginning of the year.
There's a short poem at the beginning of every chapter.
From the beginning of my career as a journalist, I've been writing about gender issues.
I thought he loved me; perhaps he did in the beginning.
That chance meeting marked the beginning of a long and happy relationship.
This is just the beginning of a new and different life for you.
I said he would cause trouble, right from the beginning.
I opposed it from the very beginning.
The whole trip was a disaster from beginning to end.
I feel like I've been offered a new beginning.
Could we start at the beginning? Tell me where you first met him.
2

beginnings

[plural] the early signs or stages of something that later develops into something bigger or more important
beginnings of
I think I have the beginnings of a cold.
from humble/small beginnings
He rose from humble beginnings to great wealth.
3

the beginning of the end

the time when something good starts to end
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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