Word

begin, v.
(began, beginning, begins, begun)
freq. cnt. 468

take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
<verb.change> freq. cnt.: 558 freq. cnt.: 375 freq. cnt.: 159 freq. cnt.: 9 freq. cnt.: 8 freq. cnt.: 7

begin commence get get down set about set out start start out

sample sentences

"We began working at dawn"
"Who will start?"
"Get working as soon as the sun rises!"
"The first tourists began to arrive in Cambodia"
"He began early in the day"
"Let's get down to work now"

verb frames

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE
Somebody ----s VERB-ing
They %s to move
They %s moving

verb frames

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE
Somebody ----s VERB-ing
They %s to move
They %s moving

verb frames

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE
Somebody ----s VERB-ing

verb frames

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE
Somebody ----s VERB-ing
They %s moving

verb frames

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE
Somebody ----s VERB-ing

verb frames

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE
Somebody ----s VERB-ing

verb frames

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE
Somebody ----s VERB-ing

verb frames

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE
Somebody ----s VERB-ing
They %s moving

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

beginning beginner

antonym

end

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

start start starter start

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

commencement

semantic pointers

hyponym

recommence strike out fall jump off get to auspicate attack break in plunge, launch come on embark, enter get started, get cracking, bestir oneself, get going, get moving, get weaving, get rolling

verb group

begin

have a beginning, in a temporal, spatial, or evaluative sense
<verb.stative> freq. cnt.: 74 freq. cnt.: 57 freq. cnt.: 17

begin start

sample sentences

"The DMZ begins right over the hill"
"The second movement begins after the Allegro"
"Prices for these homes start at $250,000"

verb frames

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Something ----s something

verb frames

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Something ----s something

lexical pointers

antonym

end

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

start start start

semantic pointers

hyponym

erupt, break out bud break out set in, kick in dawn originate

verb group

begin, start begin

set in motion, cause to start
<verb.change> freq. cnt.: 78 freq. cnt.: 45 freq. cnt.: 27 freq. cnt.: 6

begin commence lead off start

sample sentences

"The U.S. started a war in the Middle East"
"The Iraqis began hostilities"
"begin a new chapter in your life"

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

verb frames

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

start start start

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

beginning beginner

antonym

end

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

commencement

semantic pointers

cause

begin, start

hyponym

jumpstart, jump-start recommence usher in, inaugurate, introduce set off start, embark on, commence, start up

verb group

begin

begin to speak or say
<verb.communication> freq. cnt.: 9 freq. cnt.: 9

begin

sample sentences

"`Now listen, friends', he began"

verb frames

Somebody ----s
They won't %s the story

semantic pointers

hypernym

speak, talk, mouth, utter, verbalize, verbalise

begin to speak, understand, read, and write a language
<verb.communication>

begin

sample sentences

"She began Russian at an early age"
"We started French in fourth grade"

verb frames

Somebody ----s something

semantic pointers

verb group

begin, start, set out, commence, start out, get down, get, set about

achieve or accomplish in the least degree, usually used in the negative
<verb.social>

begin

sample sentences

"This economic measure doesn't even begin to deal with the problem of inflation"
"You cannot even begin to understand the problem we had to deal with during the war"

verb frames

Something ----s something

semantic pointers

hypernym

achieve, reach, attain, accomplish

begin an event that is implied and limited by the nature or inherent function of the direct object
<verb.social>

begin start

sample sentences

"begin a cigar"
"She started the soup while it was still hot"
"We started physics in 10th grade"

verb frames

Somebody ----s something

verb frames

Somebody ----s something

lexical pointers

derivationally related form

start start

semantic pointers

hypernym

act, move

verb group

begin, start

have a beginning characterized in some specified way
<verb.stative>

begin start

sample sentences

"The novel begins with a murder"
"My property begins with the three maple trees"
"Her day begins with a workout"
"The semester begins with a convocation ceremony"