beginning
A1Neutral (used across all registers from informal to formal)
Definition
Meaning
The point in time or space at which something starts; the first part of something.
The origin or source of something; an early stage in a process or period; the background or foundation from which something develops.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Can refer to temporal, spatial, or conceptual starting points. Often used metaphorically for origins or foundations. The plural 'beginnings' can imply early stages or initial efforts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling is identical. Minor differences in collocational frequency (e.g., 'in the beginning' might be slightly more common in US religious contexts).
Connotations
Identical in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both BrE and AmE.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
the beginning of [NOUN PHRASE]at the beginning of [NOUN PHRASE]from the beginning to the end[ADJECTIVE] beginningVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “beginning of the end”
- “in the beginning”
- “start at the beginning”
- “go back to the beginning”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to the start of a project, financial quarter, or initiative. 'The beginning of Q3 saw increased sales.'
Academic
Used to denote the start of a process, era, or argument. 'The beginning of the experiment was carefully documented.'
Everyday
Commonly used for daily starts. 'I'll see you at the beginning of the film.'
Technical
Can specify the initial state in a process or the first element in a sequence. 'The beginning of the data stream contains the header.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The meeting is beginning now.
- It's beginning to rain.
American English
- The show is beginning in five minutes.
- She's beginning to understand the problem.
adverb
British English
- (Rare as a pure adverb; typically part of a phrase like 'beginning tomorrow')
American English
- (Rare as a pure adverb; typically part of a phrase like 'beginning next week')
adjective
British English
- She took a beginning Spanish course.
- The beginning stages are critical.
American English
- He's in a beginning guitar class.
- We're still at the beginning phase of planning.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The beginning of the book was exciting.
- I watched the film from the beginning.
- She is at the beginning of her career.
- From the very beginning, I knew the plan would fail.
- The beginning of the lecture covered the basic concepts.
- Let's go back to the beginning and try again.
- His humble beginnings in a small village shaped his character.
- The treaty marked the beginning of a new era in diplomacy.
- We need to reconsider the project from its very beginnings.
- The genesis of the conflict can be traced to the beginning of the century.
- Her thesis explores the philosophical beginnings of the concept of liberty.
- This discovery represents not an end, but a promising new beginning for the field.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'begin' + 'ning' – the 'ning' sounds like 'thing', so it's the 'begin-thing' – the thing where you begin.
Conceptual Metaphor
BEGINNING IS A LOCATION (e.g., 'at the beginning'), BEGINNING IS BIRTH (e.g., 'the dawn of a new era'), BEGINNING IS A FOUNDATION (e.g., 'lay the groundwork').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'начало' for 'beginning' in contexts where 'origin' or 'source' (исток, происхождение) is more accurate.
- The phrase 'in the beginning' often translates to 'в начале', but can be confused with 'at first' (сначала).
- Don't confuse 'beginning' (начало) with 'ending' (конец) due to similar '-ing' forms.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'begining' (misspelling - missing one 'n').
- Confusing 'in the beginning' (refers to an initial period) with 'at the beginning' (refers to a specific starting point).
- Using 'beginning' as a verb (the verb is 'begin').
Practice
Quiz
Which phrase is NOT a common collocation with 'beginning'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Beginning' often has a slightly more formal or abstract nuance, and is commonly used for processes, stories, or eras. 'Start' is more general and frequent in everyday speech, especially for events and actions. They are largely interchangeable.
Yes, the plural 'beginnings' is used to refer to the early stages or initial phases of something, often implying multiple aspects or a period of development (e.g., 'the humble beginnings of the company').
'In the beginning' often refers to an initial period of time (similar to 'at first'), especially in narrative or historical contexts. 'At the beginning' refers to a specific point in time or space where something starts (e.g., 'at the beginning of the book/chapter/road').
Yes, it can function as a modifier in noun phrases (e.g., 'beginning students', 'beginning level'). In this role, it is considered a noun used attributively, or sometimes classified as a determiner or adjective, meaning 'for beginners' or 'initial'.
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