beginning

A2 Topic:Time
US /ˈbɪɡ.ɪ.nɪnɡ/ UK /bᵻˈɡɪn.ɪŋ/
noun verb adj Freq #1046

Meanings

  1. 1
    noun

    The first part of something.

    The author describes the main character's youth at the beginning of the story.

  2. 2
    noun

    The act or time of starting something.

    I was responsible for the beginning of the negotiations.

  3. 3
    noun

    The point or cause from which something originates.

    What was the beginning of the dispute?

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 noun · the first part of something. starthead
2 noun · the act or time of starting... commencementstart
3 noun · the point or cause from... originsourceroot
Word family
Forms beginnings
Derived forms begincementbeginninglessunbeginning
Related forms cause

Common collocations

Etymology

From Middle English begynnyng, bygynnynge, From Old English *beginnende (attested only as Old English onginnende), from Proto-Germanic *biginnandz, present participle of Proto-Germanic *biginnaną (“to begin”), equivalent to begin + -ing.

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Topics

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