commence
To begin, startTo begin, start.
» Tom's trial commenced three days later.
Meaning
4 senses(intransitive)To begin, start.
anfangen, beginnen
начина́тьnačinátʹ, начина́тьсяnačinátʹsja
почина́тиpočynáty, поча́тиpočáty, почина́тисяpočynátysja
set in motion, cause to start
(Appalachia, intransitive)To begin or start.
At dawn we'll commence to drive.
(transitive)To begin to be, or to act as.
(UK, dated, intransitive)To take a degree at a university.
Examples
20 sentencesTom's trial commenced three days later.
The game is about to commence.
The conference will commence in due course.
Mevrouw commenced playing softly upon the piano.
Their swords crossed, and the combat commenced.
Translations
9 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
From Middle English commencen, comencen (also as contracted comsen, cumsen), from Anglo-NoFrom Middle English commencen, comencen (also as contracted comsen, cumsen), from Anglo-Norman comencer, from Vulgar Latin *cominitiāre, formed from Latin com- + initiō (whence English initiate).
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
commences, commencing, commenced, commencedSynonyms
10 synonymsAntonyms
6 antonymsWord family
2 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle