begin
verb
Key Types & categories Parts & wholes Related & opposite
- Word type
- noun
- verb
- adjective
- adverb
- Line style
- core relation
- instance, member or derived
- substance, domain or see-also
- Direction
- arrow points to the broader concept
- dashed outline: no word in this language
- Click any word to expand it.
Senses
Sense 1 verb
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
We began working at dawn
Types & categories
- recommence hyponym
- strike out hyponym
- fall hyponym
- jump off hyponym
- get to hyponym
- auspicate hyponym
- attack hyponym
- break in hyponym
- launch hyponym
- come on hyponym
- embark hyponym
- get cracking hyponym
Related & opposite
- terminate antonym
- commencement derivation
- start derivation
- fledgling derivation
- initiate derivation
- commencement derivation
- begin verb group
Sense 2 verb
have a beginning, in a temporal, spatial, or evaluative sense
The DMZ begins right over the hill
Types & categories
Related & opposite
- end antonym
- commencement derivation
- start derivation
- commencement derivation
- begin verb group
- begin verb group
Sense 3 verb
set in motion, cause to start
The U.S. started a war in the Middle East
Types & categories
- jumpstart hyponym
- recommence hyponym
- usher in hyponym
- set off hyponym
- embark on hyponym
Related & opposite
- terminate antonym
- begin causes
- commencement derivation
- beginning derivation
- start derivation
- founder derivation
- commencement derivation
- begin verb group
Sense 4 verb
begin to speak or say
Now listen, friends,
Types & categories
- mouth hypernym
Sense 5 verb
be the first item or point, constitute the beginning or start, come first in a series
The number `one' begins the sequence
Related & opposite
Sense 6 verb
have a beginning, of a temporal event
WW II began in 1939 when Hitler marched into Poland
Types & categories
- be hypernym
Related & opposite
Sense 7 verb
have a beginning characterized in some specified way
The novel begins with a murder
Types & categories
- be hypernym
Related & opposite
- commencement derivation
- start derivation
- begin verb group
- begin verb group
- begin verb group
Sense 8 verb
begin an event that is implied and limited by the nature or inherent function of the direct object
begin a cigar
Types & categories
- act hypernym
Related & opposite
- commencement derivation
- start derivation
- begin verb group
Sense 9 verb
achieve or accomplish in the least degree, usually used in the negative
This economic measure doesn't even begin to deal with the problem of inflation
Types & categories
- attain hypernym
Sense 10 verb
begin to speak, understand, read, and write a language
She began Russian at an early age
Related & opposite
- start verb group
Table view of this graph
| Sense | Relation | Group | Word |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | antonym | Related & opposite | terminate |
| 1 | derivation | Related & opposite | commencement |
| 1 | derivation | Related & opposite | start |
| 1 | derivation | Related & opposite | fledgling |
| 1 | derivation | Related & opposite | initiate |
| 1 | derivation | Related & opposite | commencement |
| 1 | verb group | Related & opposite | begin |
| 1 | hyponym | Types & categories | recommence |
| 1 | hyponym | Types & categories | strike out |
| 1 | hyponym | Types & categories | fall |
| 1 | hyponym | Types & categories | jump off |
| 1 | hyponym | Types & categories | get to |
| 1 | hyponym | Types & categories | auspicate |
| 1 | hyponym | Types & categories | attack |
| 1 | hyponym | Types & categories | break in |
| 1 | hyponym | Types & categories | launch |
| 1 | hyponym | Types & categories | come on |
| 1 | hyponym | Types & categories | embark |
| 1 | hyponym | Types & categories | get cracking |
| 2 | antonym | Related & opposite | end |
| 2 | derivation | Related & opposite | commencement |
| 2 | derivation | Related & opposite | start |
| 2 | derivation | Related & opposite | commencement |
| 2 | verb group | Related & opposite | begin |
| 2 | verb group | Related & opposite | begin |
| 2 | hyponym | Types & categories | erupt |
| 2 | hyponym | Types & categories | bud |
| 2 | hyponym | Types & categories | break out |
| 2 | hyponym | Types & categories | set in |
| 2 | hyponym | Types & categories | dawn |
| 2 | hyponym | Types & categories | originate |
| 3 | antonym | Related & opposite | terminate |
| 3 | causes | Related & opposite | begin |
| 3 | derivation | Related & opposite | commencement |
| 3 | derivation | Related & opposite | beginning |
| 3 | derivation | Related & opposite | start |
| 3 | derivation | Related & opposite | founder |
| 3 | derivation | Related & opposite | commencement |
| 3 | verb group | Related & opposite | begin |
| 3 | hyponym | Types & categories | jumpstart |
| 3 | hyponym | Types & categories | recommence |
| 3 | hyponym | Types & categories | usher in |
| 3 | hyponym | Types & categories | set off |
| 3 | hyponym | Types & categories | embark on |
| 4 | hypernym | Types & categories | mouth |
| 5 | derivation | Related & opposite | beginning |
| 5 | verb group | Related & opposite | begin |
| 6 | verb group | Related & opposite | start |
| 6 | verb group | Related & opposite | begin |
| 6 | hypernym | Types & categories | be |
| 7 | derivation | Related & opposite | commencement |
| 7 | derivation | Related & opposite | start |
| 7 | verb group | Related & opposite | begin |
| 7 | verb group | Related & opposite | begin |
| 7 | verb group | Related & opposite | begin |
| 7 | hypernym | Types & categories | be |
| 8 | derivation | Related & opposite | commencement |
| 8 | derivation | Related & opposite | start |
| 8 | verb group | Related & opposite | begin |
| 8 | hypernym | Types & categories | act |
| 9 | hypernym | Types & categories | attain |
| 10 | verb group | Related & opposite | start |