begin

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[edit] English

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[edit] Etymology

From Middle English beginnen, from Old English beginnan (to begin), from Proto-Germanic *biginnanan, *begennanan (to begin) (compare West Frisian begjinne, Dutch/German beginnen), from Proto-Indo-European *ghendhe/o 'to take' (compare Welsh genni 'to delve, submerge onself', Latin prehendere 'to grasp, nab', praeda 'prey', Albanian 'to catch', Ancient Greek chandánein 'to hold, contain')

[edit] Pronunciation

  • IPA: /bɪˈɡɪn/, /bəˈgɪn/
  • (file)
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[edit] Verb

begin (third-person singular simple present begins, present participle beginning, simple past began, past participle begun)

  1. (ambitransitive) To start, to initiate or take the first step into something.
    I began playing the piano at the age of five.
    Now that everyone is here, we should begin the presentation.
    The program begins at 9 o'clock on the dot.
    I rushed to get to class on time, but the lesson had already begun.

[edit] Related terms

[edit] Translations

[edit] Noun

begin (plural begins)

  1. (nonstandard) beginning; start

[edit] References

[edit] Statistics

[edit] Anagrams


[edit] Dutch

[edit] Pronunciation

[edit] Noun

begin n. (uncountable, diminutive beginnetje)

  1. start, beginning

[edit] Synonyms

[edit] Derived terms

[edit] Verb

begin

  1. first-person singular present indicative of beginnen.
  2. imperative of beginnen.

[edit] Anagrams


[edit] Volapük

[edit] Noun

begin (plural begins)

  1. beginning

[edit] Declension

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