commence

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See also: commencé

English

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Etymology

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From Middle English commencen, comencen (also as contracted comsen, cumsen), from Anglo-Norman comencer, from Vulgar Latin *cominitiāre, formed from Latin com- + initiō (whence English initiate).

Pronunciation

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Verb

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commence (third-person singular simple present commences, present participle commencing, simple past and past participle commenced)

  1. (intransitive) To begin, start.
  2. (transitive) To begin, start.
    • 1976 December 11, Thom Willenbecher, quoting Jean O'Leary, “Women's Caucus Quits Gay Academic Union”, in Gay Community News, volume 4, number 24, page 1:
      The speeches commenced three days of workshops, seminars, and cultural activities.
  3. (transitive) To begin to be, or to act as.
    • 1743, Robert Drury, The Pleasant, and Surprizing Adventures of Mr. Robert Drury, during his Fifteen Years Captivity on the Island of Madagascar[3], London, page 126:
      [] he furnish’d me with a Gun, Cartouch-box, and Powder-horn, &c. and thus accouter’d I commenc’d Soldier.
    • 1825, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Aids to Reflection in the Formation of a Manly Character[4], London: Taylor & Hessey, Prudential Aphorisms, Aphorism 15, page 48:
      When we are wearied of the trouble of prosecuting crimes at the bar, we commence judges ourselves []
  4. (UK, intransitive, dated) To take a degree at a university.
    • 1655, Thomas Fuller, “The Seventh Century”, in The Church-history of Britain; [], London: [] Iohn Williams [], →OCLC, (please specify |book=I to XI), page 75:
      [] I question whether the Formality of Commencing was used in that Age: inclining rather to the negative, that such Distinction of Graduates was then unknown []
    • 1861, George John Gray, Athenae Cantabrigienses: 1586-1609, page 272:
      [] was admitted a minor fellow of his college 4 Oct. 1591, a major fellow 11 March 1591-2, and commenced M.A. in 1592.

Synonyms

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Antonyms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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French

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Pronunciation

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Verb

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commence

  1. inflection of commencer:
    1. first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
    2. second-person singular imperative

Louisiana Creole

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Etymology

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From French commencer (to commence), compare Haitian Creole kòmanse.

Verb

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commence

  1. to begin, commence

References

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  • Alcée Fortier, Louisiana Folktales