begins; began /-ˈgæn/ ; /bɪˈgæn/; begun /-ˈgʌn/ ; /bɪˈgʌn/; beginning begins; began /-ˈgæn/ ; /bɪˈgæn/; begun /-ˈgʌn/ ; /bɪˈgʌn/; beginning Learner's definition of BEGIN
1
a : to do the first part of an action : to start doing something开始；着手；启动 [+ object]
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They will begin construction on the new school soon.他们将很快开始建设新学校。
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I got the job and I begin work on Monday!我得到了这份工作，周一开始上班。
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She'll begin the lecture at 10.她将在10点钟开始讲座。
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He plans to begin the project later this week.他计划在本周晚些时候启动这个项目。
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They both began their careers at the local newspaper.他们俩的职业生涯都是从当地这家报纸开始的。
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The university began accepting applications in November.这所大学十一月开始接受入学申请。
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I had just begun eating when the phone rang.我刚开始吃饭，电话铃就响了。
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She interrupted as soon as I began to speak.我刚一开口，她就打断了。
[no object]
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He began by showing some photographs of his trip. = He began with some photographs of his trip.他首先展示了他旅行时的一些照片。
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Now that I've begun, I'll go on till I finish.既然我已经开始，我就会继续下去直到完成。
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You'll have to begin again. [=start over]你得重新开始。
b [+ object] : to start to work on, produce, or give attention to (something)着手做；开始注意 -
I began the quilt last month.我上个月开始缝制这床被子。
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I began (reading) the book last week.我上周开始读这本书。
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Schubert began more symphonies than he finished.舒伯特开始创作的交响乐多于他所完成的。
c [+ object] : to cause (something) to start使开始；使出现 d [+ object] : to start to have a feeling, thought, etc.开始感到；开始认为 —
usually followed by to + verb通常接动词不定式 —
sometimes + -ing verb 2
: to start to happen, to exist, to be done, etc.开始发生；开始进行 [no object]
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The meeting began [=started] in the morning and finished/ended at noon.会议在上午开始，中午结束。
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Construction on the new school will begin soon.新校舍的建设即将开工。
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Our problems were just beginning.我们的问题才刚刚开始。
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When does the play begin?比赛什么时候开始？
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The rain began around noon.正午前后便开始下雨了。
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Let the games begin.让游戏开始吧。
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The American Civil War began in 1861 and ended in 1865.美国南北战争于1861年开始，1865年结束。
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His passion for music began at the age of six when he had his first piano lessons.他对音乐的热爱始于六岁时的第一堂钢琴课。
[+ object]
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followed by to + verb接动词不定式 3 [no object]
a : to have a particular starting point : to start at a specified place or in a specified way以…为起点；从…开始 -
“Where does the river begin?” “It begins in the mountains to the north.”“这条河的源头在哪里？”“它发源于北面的山脉。”
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The meeting began on a positive note.会议在积极的气氛中开始了。
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The meeting began with an announcement. [=an announcement was made at the start of the meeting]这次会议首先发表了一项声明。
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The English alphabet begins with A and ends with Z.英语字母表从字母A开始，到字母Z结束。
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Each sentence should begin with a capital.每个句子的首字母都应大写。
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The season began with our team in last place but finished (up) with us in first place.我们队在本赛季初排名垫底，但到了赛季末则名列第一。
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Her long career in advertising began at a small firm in Chicago.她漫长的广告生涯始于芝加哥的一家小公司。
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Prices for the hotel rooms begin at 85 dollars. [=85 dollars is the lowest price for a hotel room; some rooms cost more than 85 dollars]这家酒店客房的起价为85美元。
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The road begins at the bottom of the hill and ends at the top of the hill.公路起于山脚，延伸至山顶。
b : to have a specified quality, identity, job, etc., at the start —
+ as开始具有（某种品质、身份、职位等） -
What began [=started] as a simple idea has become a complicated project.最初的简单想法已经演变成一项复杂的工程。
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The town began as a small farming community.这座城市起初只是个小小的农耕社区。
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He began as a clerk [=he was a clerk when he started working] and eventually became president of the company.他起初只是名公司职员，后来当上了董事长。
4
[+ object] : to start speaking by saying (something)以…作开场白 5
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used in an exaggerated way to say that something is not possible用于夸张地表示某事不可能 -
I can't even begin to describe how good the food was. [=the food was very good]我简直无法形容那种食物有多好吃。
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I can't begin to tell you how grateful I am for all your help. [=I am very grateful for all your help]对于你的帮助，我不胜感激。
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I can hardly begin to thank you for all you've done.对于你所做的一切，我万分感激。
to begin with
1
: as the first thing to be thought about or considered首先；第一 2
: at the start : before the current time or situation起初；原先；开始的时候 -
She has lost a lot of weight, and she wasn't very heavy to begin with.她体重减了不少，而且原本她就不是很重。
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She didn't like her job to begin with, [=at first, initially] but she got used to it eventually.刚开始她并不喜欢自己的工作，但最后就适应了。