{
    "term": "initiate",
    "partOfSpeech": "verb",
    "academic": true,
    "ox5000": true,
    "cefr": "c1",
    "verbForms": {
        "presentSimple": {
            "iYouWeThey": "initiate",
            "heSheIt": "initiates"
        },
        "pastSimple": "initiated",
        "pastParticiple": "initiated",
        "ingForm": "initiating"
    },
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "to make something begin",
            "sensetop": "initiate something",
            "labels": "(formal)",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "to initiate legal proceedings against somebody"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The government has initiated a programme of economic reform."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Anyone has the right to initiate legislation in Parliament by means of a private bill."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Bacteria then enter the wound and initiate infection."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He initiated a national debate on reform."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The organization may initiate legal action against you."
                }
            ],
            "synonyms": "set/put in motion",
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["formally", "immediately", "recently"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "to explain something to somebody and/or make them experience it for the first time",
            "sensetop": "initiate somebody (into something)",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She was initiated into classical music by her mother."
                },
                {
                    "text": "His uncle initiated him into the pleasures of sailing."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "to make somebody a member of a particular group, especially as part of a secret ceremony",
            "sensetop": "initiate somebody (into something)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Hundreds are initiated into the sect each year."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɪˈnɪʃieɪt/",
                "audio": "in/initiate/initiate__gb_3.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɪˈnɪʃieɪts/",
                "audio": "in/initiate/initiates__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɪˈnɪʃieɪtɪd/",
                "audio": "in/initiate/initiated__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɪˈnɪʃieɪtɪŋ/",
                "audio": "in/initiate/initiating__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɪˈnɪʃieɪt/",
                "audio": "in/initiate/initiate__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɪˈnɪʃieɪts/",
                "audio": "in/initiate/initiates__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɪˈnɪʃieɪtɪd/",
                "audio": "in/initiate/initiated__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɪˈnɪʃieɪtɪŋ/",
                "audio": "in/initiate/initiating__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "mid 16th cent. (in sense (3)): from Latin initiat- ‘begun’, from the verb initiare, from initium ‘beginning’."
}