word-vault

{ "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." }