{
    "term": "begin",
    "partOfSpeech": "verb",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "a1",
    "verbForms": {
        "presentSimple": {
            "iYouWeThey": "begin",
            "heSheIt": "begins"
        },
        "pastSimple": "began",
        "pastParticiple": "begun",
        "ingForm": "beginning"
    },
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "to start doing something; to do the first part of something",
            "sensetop": "begin at somethingbegin with somethingbegin by doing somethingbegin somethingbegin something with somethingbegin something at somethingbegin something by doing somethingbegin something as somethingbegin to do somethingbegin doing something",
            "cefr": "a1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Shall I begin?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Let's begin at page 9.",
                    "contextForm": "begin at something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I'd like to begin with a simple question.",
                    "contextForm": "begin with something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She began by thanking us all for coming.",
                    "contextForm": "begin by doing something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "We **began work** on the project in May.",
                    "contextForm": "begin something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I began *(= started reading)* this novel last month and I still haven't finished it."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He always begins his lessons with a warm-up exercise.",
                    "contextForm": "begin something with something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I began piano lessons at the age of six.",
                    "contextForm": "begin something at something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She began her speech by praising her opponent.",
                    "contextForm": "begin something by doing something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He began his political career as a student *(= when he was a student)*.",
                    "contextForm": "begin something as something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I **began to feel** dizzy.",
                    "contextForm": "begin to do something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Leaves **are just beginning to** appear."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We have **already begun** to address the problem."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I **was beginning to think** you'd never come."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Everyone began talking at once.",
                    "contextForm": "begin doing something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "We **began working** on the project in May."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We had to begin all over again."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He took a deep breath and slowly began."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We will begin with a brief discussion of the problems."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Let's begin by writing down a few ideas."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Begin your story at the beginning, and carry on to the end."
                },
                {
                    "text": "At last the guests began to arrive."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It was beginning to snow."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She began to cry."
                },
                {
                    "text": "When will you begin recruiting?"
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["again", "all over again", "anew"],
                "verb + begin": ["be due to", "be expected to", "be scheduled to"],
                "preposition": ["by", "with"],
                "phrases": [
                    "begin at the beginning",
                    "be just beginning",
                    "be only beginning"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "to start to happen or exist, especially from a particular time",
            "sensetop": "begin in…begin at…",
            "cefr": "a1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "When does the concert begin?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Work on the new bridge is due to begin in September.",
                    "contextForm": "begin in…"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The lecture begins at 8pm.",
                    "contextForm": "begin at…"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The evening began well."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The entertainment was due to begin at 8.30."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Once it has finished, the DVD automatically begins again."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Their troubles are only beginning."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Research into the problem began immediately."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["again", "all over again", "anew"],
                "verb + begin": ["be due to", "be expected to", "be scheduled to"],
                "preposition": ["by", "with"],
                "phrases": [
                    "begin at the beginning",
                    "be just beginning",
                    "be only beginning"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "to have something as the first part or the point where something starts",
            "sensetop": "begin with somethingbegin at…",
            "cefr": "a1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Where does Europe end and Asia begin?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Use ‘an’ before words beginning with a vowel.",
                    "contextForm": "begin with something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "‘I'm thinking of a country in Asia.’ ‘What does it begin with *(= what is the first letter)*?’"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Each chapter begins with a quotation."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The path begins at Livingston village.",
                    "contextForm": "begin at…"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The story begins on the island of Corfu."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "to start or make something start for the first time",
            "sensetop": "begin something",
            "cefr": "a1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The school began in 1920, with only ten pupils."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He began a new magazine on post-war architecture.",
                    "contextForm": "begin something"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "to be something first, before becoming something else",
            "sensetop": "begin as something",
            "cefr": "a2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He began as an actor, before starting to direct films."
                },
                {
                    "text": "What began as a minor scuffle turned into a full-scale riot."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 6,
            "definition": "to start speaking",
            "sensetop": "+ speech",
            "cefr": "a2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ he began, ‘welcome to the Town Hall.’"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 7,
            "definition": "to make no attempt to do something or have no chance of doing something",
            "sensetop": "not begin to do something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "I **can't begin to** thank you enough."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He didn't even begin to understand my problem."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "you should help and care for your own family, etc. before you start helping other people",
            "labels": "(saying)",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "at first",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "I found it tiring to begin with but I soon got used to it."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We'll go slowly to begin with."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "used to introduce the first point you want to make",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "‘What was it you didn't like?’ ‘Well, to begin with, our room was far too small.’"
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/bɪˈɡɪn/",
                "audio": "be/begin/begin__gb_3.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/bɪˈɡɪnz/",
                "audio": "be/begin/begins__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/bɪˈɡæn/",
                "audio": "be/begin/began__gb_3.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/bɪˈɡʌn/",
                "audio": "be/begin/begun__gb_3.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/bɪˈɡɪnɪŋ/",
                "audio": "be/begin/beginning__gb_2.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/bɪˈɡɪn/",
                "audio": "be/begin/begin__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/bɪˈɡɪnz/",
                "audio": "be/begin/begins__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/bɪˈɡæn/",
                "audio": "be/begin/began__us_2.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/bɪˈɡʌn/",
                "audio": "be/begin/begun__us_2.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/bɪˈɡɪnɪŋ/",
                "audio": "be/begin/beginning__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Old English beginnan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German beginnen."
}