beginning

      English

      Alternative forms

      Etymology

      Verbal noun of begin.

      Pronunciation

      Noun

      beginning (countable and uncountable; plural beginnings)

      1. (uncountable) The act of doing that which begins anything; commencement of an action, state, or space of time; entrance into being or upon a course; the first act, effort, or state of a succession of acts or states.
      2. That which is begun; a rudiment or element.
      3. That which begins or originates something; the first cause; origin; source.
      4. The initial portion of some extended thing.
        The author describes the protagonist's youth in the beginning of the story
        The house you want is down at the beginning of the street

      Synonyms

      Derived terms

      Translations

      act of doing that which begins anything
      that which is begun
      that which begins or originates something
      initial portion of some extended thing
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      Verb

      beginning

      1. Present participle of begin.
        He is beginning to read a new book.


      Adjective

      beginning (not comparable)

      1. (informal) Of or relating to the first portion of some extended thing.
        in the beginning paragraph of the chapter
        in the beginning section of the course

      Synonyms

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      Last modified on 17 June 2013, at 02:10