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A lightweight JavaScript package for English word definitions and collections.
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{
"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’."
}