begun Meaning, Definition & Usage

1. verb take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
   begin; get; start out; set about; start; set out; get down; commence.
   
   • 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
2. verb have a beginning, in a temporal, spatial, or evaluative sense
   start; begin.
   
   • The DMZ begins right over the hill
   • The second movement begins after the Allegro
   • Prices for these homes start at $250,000
3. verb set in motion, cause to start
   lead off; start; begin; commence.
   
   • The U.S. started a war in the Middle East
   • The Iraqis began hostilities
   • begin a new chapter in your life
4. verb begin to speak or say
   begin.
   
   • Now listen, friends," he began
5. verb be the first item or point, constitute the beginning or start, come first in a series
   begin.
   
   • The number `one' begins the sequence
   • A terrible murder begins the novel
   • The convocation ceremony officially begins the semester
6. verb have a beginning, of a temporal event
   begin.
   
   • WW II began in 1939 when Hitler marched into Poland
   • The company's Asia tour begins next month
7. verb have a beginning characterized in some specified way
   start; begin.
   
   • 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
8. verb begin an event that is implied and limited by the nature or inherent function of the direct object
   start; begin.
   
   • begin a cigar
   • She started the soup while it was still hot
   • We started physics in 10th grade
9. verb achieve or accomplish in the least degree, usually used in the negative
   begin.
   
   • 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
10. verb begin to speak, understand, read, and write a language
    begin.
    
    • She began Russian at an early age
    • We started French in fourth grade

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