began
[ bih-gan ]
/ bɪˈgæn /
verb
simple past tense of begin.
Words nearby began
beg to differ,
beg, borrow, or steal,
beg-pardon,
beg.,
begad,
began,
begar,
begat,
begats,
begem,
beget
Definition for began (2 of 2)
begin
[ bih-gin ]
/ bɪˈgɪn /
verb (used without object), be·gan, be·gun, be·gin·ning.
to proceed to perform the first or earliest part of some action; commence; start: The story begins with their marriage.
to come into existence; arise; originate: The custom began during the Civil War.
verb (used with object), be·gan, be·gun, be·gin·ning.
to proceed to perform the first or earliest part of (some action): Begin the job tomorrow.
to originate; be the originator of: civic leaders who began the reform movement.
to succeed to the slightest extent in (followed by an infinitive): The money won't even begin to cover expenses.
Origin of begin
synonym study for begin
3.
Begin,
commence,
initiate,
start (when followed by noun or gerund) refer to setting into motion or progress something that continues for some time.
Begin is the common term:
to begin knitting a sweater.
Commence is a more formal word, often suggesting a more prolonged or elaborate beginning:
to commence proceedings in court.
Initiate implies an active and often ingenious first act in a new field:
to initiate a new procedure.
Start means to make a first move or to set out on a course of action:
to start paving a street.
Example sentences from the Web for began
British Dictionary definitions for began (1 of 3)
British Dictionary definitions for began (2 of 3)
Begin
/ (ˈbɛɡɪn) /
noun
Menachem (məˈnɑːkɪm). 1913–92, Israeli statesman, born in Poland. In Palestine after 1942, he became a leader of the militant Zionists; prime minister of Israel (1977–83); Nobel peace prize jointly with Sadat 1978. In 1979 he concluded the Camp David treaty with Anwar Sadat of Egypt
British Dictionary definitions for began (3 of 3)
begin
/ (bɪˈɡɪn) /
verb -gins, -ginning, -gan or -gun
to start or cause to start (something or to do something)
to bring or come into being for the first time; arise or originate
to start to say or speak
(used with a negative)
to have the least capacity (to do something)
he couldn't begin to compete with her
to begin with
in the first place
Word Origin for begin
Old English
beginnan; related to Old High German
biginnan, Gothic
duginnan
Idioms and Phrases with began
begin