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more about commence
commence |
3 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Commence \Com*mence"\, v. t. To enter upon to begin; to perform the first act of Many a wooer doth commence his suit. --Shak. Note: It is the practice of good writers to use the verbal noun (instead of the infinitive with to) after commence; as he commenced studying, not he commenced to study. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Commence \Com*mence"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Commenced}; p. pr & vb n. {Commencing}.] [F. commencer, OF comencier fr L. com- + initiare to begin. See {Initiate}.] 1. To have a beginning or origin; to originate; to start to begin. Here the anthem doth commence. --Shak. His heaven commences ere the world be past. --Goldsmith. 2. To begin to be or to act as [Archaic] We commence judges ourselves --Coleridge. 3. To take a degree at a university. [Eng.] I question whether the formality of commencing was used in that age. --Fuller. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: commence v 1: take the first step or steps in carrying out an action: "We began working at dawn"; "Who will start?" "Get working as soon as the sun rises!" [syn: {begin}, {get}, {start out}, {start}, {set about}, {set out}] [ant: {end}] 2: set in motion, cause to start "The U.S. started a war in the Middle East"; "The Iraquis began hostilities"; "begin a new chapter in your life" [syn: {begin}, {lead off}, {start}] [ant: {end}] 3: get off the ground; "Who started this company?" "We embarked on an exciting enterprise" [syn: {start}, {start up}, {begin}, {embark on}]
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