Dictionary

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.

That which is begun; a rudiment or element.

That which begins or originates something; the source or first cause.

Example: What was the beginning of the dispute?

The initial portion of some extended thing.

Example: That house is at the beginning of the street.

To start, to initiate or take the first step into something.

Example: I began playing the piano at the age of five.   Now that everyone is here, we should begin the presentation.

To be in the first stage of some situation

Example: The program begins at 9 o'clock on the dot.    I rushed to get to class on time, but the lesson had already begun.

To come into existence.

Of or relating to the first portion of some extended thing.

Example: in the beginning paragraph of the chapter