Search Result for "begin": 
Wordnet 3.0

NOUN (1)

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);
[syn: Begin, Menachem Begin]


VERB (10)

1. take the first step or steps in carrying out an action;
- Example: "We began working at dawn"
- Example: "Who will start?"
- Example: "Get working as soon as the sun rises!"
- Example: "The first tourists began to arrive in Cambodia"
- Example: "He began early in the day"
- Example: "Let's get down to work now"
[syn: get down, begin, get, start out, start, set about, set out, commence]

2. have a beginning, in a temporal, spatial, or evaluative sense;
- Example: "The DMZ begins right over the hill"
- Example: "The second movement begins after the Allegro"
- Example: "Prices for these homes start at $250,000"
[syn: begin, start]

3. set in motion, cause to start;
- Example: "The U.S. started a war in the Middle East"
- Example: "The Iraqis began hostilities"
- Example: "begin a new chapter in your life"
[syn: begin, lead off, start, commence]

4. begin to speak or say;
- Example: "Now listen, friends," he began;

5. be the first item or point, constitute the beginning or start, come first in a series;
- Example: "The number `one' begins the sequence";
- Example: "A terrible murder begins the novel"
- Example: "The convocation ceremony officially begins the semester"

6. have a beginning, of a temporal event;
- Example: "WW II began in 1939 when Hitler marched into Poland"
- Example: "The company's Asia tour begins next month"

7. have a beginning characterized in some specified way;
- Example: "The novel begins with a murder"
- Example: "My property begins with the three maple trees"
- Example: "Her day begins with a workout"
- Example: "The semester begins with a convocation ceremony"
[syn: begin, start]

8. begin an event that is implied and limited by the nature or inherent function of the direct object;
- Example: "begin a cigar"
- Example: "She started the soup while it was still hot"
- Example: "We started physics in 10th grade"
[syn: begin, start]

9. achieve or accomplish in the least degree, usually used in the negative;
- Example: "This economic measure doesn't even begin to deal with the problem of inflation"
- Example: "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;
- Example: "She began Russian at an early age"
- Example: "We started French in fourth grade"



The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Begin \Be*gin"\, n.
   Beginning. [Poetic & Obs.] --Spenser.
   [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

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.
      [1913 Webster]

            Vast chain of being! which from God began. --Pope.
      [1913 Webster]

   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.
      [1913 Webster]

            When I begin, I will also make an end. --1 Sam. iii.
                                                  12.
      [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Begin \Be*gin"\, v. t.
   1. To enter on; to commence.
      [1913 Webster]

            Ye nymphs of Solyma ! begin the song. --Pope.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To trace or lay the foundation of; to make or place a
      beginning of.
      [1913 Webster]

            The apostle begins our knowledge in the creatures,
            which leads us to the knowledge of God. --Locke.
      [1913 Webster]

   Syn: To commence; originate; set about; start.
        [1913 Webster]


WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

Begin
    n 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) [syn: Begin,
         Menachem Begin]
    v 1: take the first step or steps in carrying out an action; "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" [syn: get down, begin, get,
         start out, start, set about, set out, commence]
         [ant: end, terminate]
    2: have a beginning, in a temporal, spatial, or evaluative
       sense; "The DMZ begins right over the hill"; "The second
       movement begins after the Allegro"; "Prices for these homes
       start at $250,000" [syn: begin, start] [ant: cease,
       end, finish, stop, terminate]
    3: set in motion, cause to start; "The U.S. started a war in the
       Middle East"; "The Iraqis began hostilities"; "begin a new
       chapter in your life" [syn: begin, lead off, start,
       commence] [ant: end, terminate]
    4: begin to speak or say; "Now listen, friends," he began
    5: be the first item or point, constitute the beginning or
       start, come first in a series; "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; "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; "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" [syn: begin,
       start]
    8: begin an event that is implied and limited by the nature or
       inherent function of the direct object; "begin a cigar"; "She
       started the soup while it was still hot"; "We started physics
       in 10th grade" [syn: begin, start]
    9: achieve or accomplish in the least degree, usually used in
       the negative; "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; "She
        began Russian at an early age"; "We started French in fourth
        grade"