/bɪˈgɪn ||; bɪˈgɪn/verb (
present participle beginning;past tense began /bɪˈgæn
||; bɪˈgæn/
past participle begun /bɪˈgʌn
||; bɪˈgʌn/)
1 [I,T] to start doing sth; to do the first part of sth 开始做；着手: Shall I begin or will you? 我先开始还是你先开始？I began (= started reading) this novel last month and I still haven't finished it. 我上个月开始看这本小说，到现在还没看完。When did he begin his lesson? 他什么时候开始上课的？When do you begin work? 你什么时候开始工作？We began writing to each other in 1980. 我们从1980年开始通信。The carpet is beginning to look dirty. 地毯开始显得有点脏。
2 [I] to start to happen or exist, especially from a particular time 开始发生，开始存在（尤指在特定时间）: What time does the concert begin? 音乐会什么时候开始？
3 [I] begin (with sth) to start in a particular way, with a particular event, or in a particular place （以某个方式、事件或在某个地方）开始: My name begins with ‘W’ not ‘V’. 我的名字以 W 开头，不是以 V 开头。The fighting began with an argument about money. 先是为了钱发生争执，继而动手。This is where the footpath begins. 小路就从这里开始。
Begin and start are very similar in meaning but start is more often used in informal speech. They can be followed by to or by the -ing form of a verb The baby began/started crying/to cry. When begin or start are themselves in the -ing form they must be followed by to The baby was just beginning/starting to cry. In some meanings only start can be used I couldn't start the car. We'll have to start (= leave) early if we want to be in Dover by 8 o'clock. begin 和 start 的意思很相近，但非正式口语多用 start。两词后面均可接 to 或动词的 -ing 形式：The baby began／started crying／to cry. 娃娃开始哭了。begin 或 start 本身用 -ing 形式时，其后必须接 to：The baby was just beginning／starting to cry. 娃娃刚开始哭。某些意思只能用 start 来表达：I couldn't start the car. 我不能发动这辆汽车。We'll have to start early if we want to be in Dover by 8 o'clock. 我们要在8点钟之前到达多佛尔就必须早一点动身。 to begin with 1 at first 起初: To begin with they were very happy. 起初，他们很高兴。
2 used for giving your first reason for sth or to introduce your first point （用于举出第一个理由或引出第一点）首先，第一:
We can't possibly go. To begin with it's too far and we can't afford it either. 我们不可能去。一来那里太远了，二来我们也没有那么多钱。 ➔beginner noun [C]