Begin
/bɪˈɡɪn/
verbBeginnerVery CommonGeneral
Idiom
Meaning
Question
Definitions
1
To start or commence.
/bɪˈɡɪn/
verbneutralBeginner
General
To commence or start something.
The concert began at 8 p.m.
💡 Simply: To start doing something.
More Examples
2
She began to cry.
How It's Used
General
"The meeting will begin at 2 pm."
Academic
"Let's begin the experiment."
Idioms & expressions
begin with
To start by doing something.
"Let's begin with the most important task."
From Old English *beginnan, from be- + ginan "to yawn, gape". The original meaning related to opening or starting something, often with a sense of effort or anticipation.
Historically, 'begin' was used more frequently in formal writing, but its usage has become more generalized across registers over time.
Memory tip
Think of a runner 'beginning' a race.
Practice
beginebeginn
Usage
60%Spoken
40%Written