be‧gin S1 W1 / bɪɡɪn / 动词 ( past tense began / -ɡæn / , past participle begun / -ɡʌn / , present participle beginning )

1 start doing something [不及物和及物动词] 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 something

She began to feel a sense of panic.

begin doing something

I began teaching in 1984.

2 start happening [不及物和及物动词] 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.

begin at

The meeting begins at 10.30 am.

3 do first [不及物动词] 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 something

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

4 book/word etc [不及物动词] if a book, film, or word begins with something, it starts with a particular event or letter

begin with

‘Psychosis’ begins with a P.

Register

In everyday English, people usually say start rather than begin :

The movie starts at 7.45.

Let’s start by introducing ourselves.

Not many English names start with X.

5 speech [不及物和及物动词] to start speaking :

‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ he began. ‘I am delighted to be here.’

6 to begin with

a) 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 was.

begin (something) as something 短语动词

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

Roger began his career as an office boy.