begin

be|gin

W1S1 [bıˈgın] v past tense began [-ˈgæn] past participle begun [-ˈgʌn] present participle beginning

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1¦(start doing something)¦

2¦(start happening)¦

3¦(do first)¦

4¦(book/word etc)¦

5¦(speech)¦

6 to begin with

7 can't begin to understand/imagine etc

Phrasal verbs

　begin (something) as something

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[: Old English; Origin: beginnan]

1.) ¦(START DOING SOMETHING)¦ [I and T]

to start doing something

▪ As everybody's here, let's begin.

▪ In the third year students begin the study of classical Chinese.

▪ The President begins talks with the Prime Minister tonight.

begin to do sth

▪ She began to feel a sense of panic.

▪ I began to wonder if I'd ever be able to afford my own apartment.

begin doing sth

▪ I began teaching in 1984.

2.) ¦(START HAPPENING)¦ [I and T]

if something begins, or you begin something, it starts to happen or exist from a particular time

▪ It was the coldest winter since records began.

▪ They began a system of blood tests for employees.

begin at

▪ The meeting begins at 10.30 am.

3.) ¦(DO FIRST)¦

if you begin with something or begin by doing something, this is the first thing you do

begin with

▪ Shall we begin with a prayer?

begin by doing sth

▪ I'll begin by thanking you all for being here tonight.

4.) ¦(BOOK/WORD ETC)¦ [I]

if a book, film, or word begins with something, it starts with a particular event or letter

begin with

▪ 'Psychosis' begins with a P.

5.) ¦(SPEECH)¦ [I and T]

to start speaking

▪ 'Ladies and gentlemen,' he began. ' I am delighted to be here.'

6.) to begin with

a) [i]spoken used to introduce the first and most important point you want to make

▪ Well, to begin with, he shouldn't even have been driving my car.

b) used to say that something was already in a particular condition before something else happened

▪ I didn't break it! It was like that to begin with.

c) during the first part of a process or activity

▪ The kids helped me to begin with, but they soon got bored.

7.) can't begin to understand/imagine etc

spoken used to emphasize how difficult something is to understand etc

▪ I can't begin to imagine how awful it must have been.

begin () as [begin (sth) as sth] phr v

to be a particular thing at the start of your existence, working life etc

▪ Roger began his career as an office boy.