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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

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.
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In the beginning God created the heaven and the
earth. --Gen. i. 1.
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2. That which begins or originates something; the first
cause; origin; source.
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I am . . . the beginning and the ending. --Rev. i.
8.
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3. That which is begun; a rudiment or element.
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Mighty things from small beginnings grow. --Dryden.
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4. Enterprise. "To hinder our beginnings." --Shak.
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Syn: Inception; prelude; opening; threshold; origin; outset;
foundation.
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Begin \Be*gin"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Began}, {Begun}; p. pr. &
vb. n. {Beginning}.] [AS. beginnan (akin to OS. biginnan, D.
& G. beginnen, OHG. biginnan, Goth., du-ginnan, Sw. begynna,
Dan. begynde); pref. be- an assumed ginnan. [root]31. See
{Gin} to begin.]
1. To have or commence an independent or first existence; to
take rise; to commence.
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Vast chain of being! which from God began. --Pope.
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2. To do the first act or the first part of an action; to
enter upon or commence something new, as a new form or
state of being, or course of action; to take the first
step; to start. "Tears began to flow." --Dryden.
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When I begin, I will also make an end. --1 Sam. iii.
12.
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