beginning

beginning
/bI'gInIN/ noun (countable usually singular)
1 the start or first part of an event, story, period of time etc
(+ of): It will be ready at the beginning of next week. | The beginning of the film is very violent. | in/at/from the beginning (=at or from the time when a situation, process etc begins): We pay our rent at the beginning of every month. | I said he would be trouble, right from the beginning. | from beginning to end: The whole trip was a disaster from beginning to end. -see firstly
2 beginnings (plural) the early part or early signs of something that later develops and becomes bigger, more important etc: the beginnings of the capitalist system | from small/humble beginnings: From humble beginnings in Atlanta, it had developed into a multinational corporation.
3 the beginning of the end the time when something good starts to end or become less good
USAGE NOTE: BEGINNING WORD CHOICE: at the beginning of, in the beginning Something that happens at the very start of an event or period of time happens at the beginning of it: At the beginning of the Civil War Fort Sumter was attacked (NOT in the beginning of it). | There's a car chase at the beginning (=at the start of the film). If something happens in the beginning (not usually with of) it happens during a period of time near the start of an event or longer period of time: In the beginning the South had some success (=during the early part of the Civil War).| I was too shy to speak to her in the beginning (=the first few times I saw her). SPELLING Remember there are two 'n's in beginning.

Longman dictionary of contemporary English. 2004.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • beginning — beginning, genesis, rise, initiation are comparable when they mean the first part or stage of a process or development. Although beginning, often in the plural form beginnings, may mean the point at which a person or thing commences its existence …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Beginning — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda beginning Álbum de Akane Sugazaki Publicación 22 de octubre, 2003 Grabación 2003 …   Wikipedia Español

  • Beginning — «Beginning» Сингл Kotipelto В …   Википедия

  • Beginning — Be*gin ning, n. 1. 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. [1913 Webster] In the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • beginning — [bi gin′iŋ] n. 1. a starting or commencing 2. the time or place of starting; birth; origin; source [English democracy had its beginning in the Magna Carta] 3. the first part [the beginning of a book] 4. [usually pl.] an early stage or example… …   English World dictionary

  • beginning — [n1] start of an event or action alpha, basis, birth, blastoff*, commencement, creation, dawn, dawning, day one*, genesis, inauguration, inception, induction, infancy, initiation, installation, introduction, kickoff, onset, opener, opening,… …   New thesaurus

  • beginning — I noun birth, causative, commencement, conception, creation, derivation, early derivation, elementary, embryo, emergence, foundation, fountain, fountainhead, genesis, inauguration, inception, incipience, infancy, initial, kick off, nascence,… …   Law dictionary

  • beginning — late 12c., time when something begins, from BEGIN (Cf. begin). Meaning act of starting something is from early 13c. The O.E. word was fruma …   Etymology dictionary

  • beginning */*/*/ — UK [bɪˈɡɪnɪŋ] / US noun Word forms beginning : singular beginning plural beginnings Get it right: beginning: Don t confuse these two phrases: ▪  at the beginning ▪  in the beginning At the beginning is used to refer to the start or first part of… …   English dictionary

  • beginning — be|gin|ning W2S1 [bıˈgınıŋ] n [C usually singular] 1.) the start or first part of an event, story, period of time etc beginning of ▪ She s been here since the beginning of the year. ▪ There s a short poem at the beginning of every chapter. ▪ From …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • beginning — be|gin|ning1 [ bı gınıŋ ] noun *** 1. ) count usually singular the first part of something: START: I loved the beginning of the book but hated the rest. beginning of: There is no need to start at the beginning of each section. a ) the start of a… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

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