▪ I. beginning, vbl. n.
(bɪˈgɪnɪŋ)
Also bi-, bygyn(n)yng; 2–3 -unge.
[f. begin v.1 + -ing1.]
1. The action or process of entering upon existence or upon action, or of bringing into existence; commencing, origination.
| a 1225 Leg. Kath. 289 As euch þing hefde beginnunge of his godlec. a 1300 Cursor M. 838 Þar þai biginning gan to tak. c 1400 Mandeville 316 Withouten begynnynge and withouten endynge. 1570 Billingsley Euclid i. def. iii. 2 A line hath his beginning from a point. 1579 Fenton Guicciard. (1618) 288 Maximilian then being come to Trent, to giue beginning to the warre. 1635 Swan Spec. M. (1670) 17 The world..was not for everlasting, but took beginning. 1883 Froude Short Stud. IV. ii. i. 171 The beginning of change, like the beginning of strife, is like the letting out of water. |
b. viewed as a definite fact belonging to anything extended in time or space.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 18 Et te biginnunge of þe Venite. c 1530 R. Hilles Comm.-pl. Bk. (1858) 140 All thyngs hath a begynyng. 1539 Taverner Erasm. Prov. 9 The beginnynge is halfe the hole. 1562 J. Heywood Prov. & Epigr. (1867) 21 Of a good begynnyng comth a good end. 1590 Shakes. Mids. N. v. i. 111 That is the true beginning of our end. 1780 J. Harris Philol. Enq. (1841) 421 A beginning is that, which nothing necessarily precedes, but which something naturally follows. 1836 Gen. P. Thompson Exerc. (1842) IV. 99 As was shrewdly intimated, in respect of the question of Primogeniture this is only ‘the beginning of the end.’ |
2. The point of time at which anything begins; absol. the time when the universe began to be.
| c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 81 Þis bitacneð þe world þet wes from biginnegge. 1388 Wyclif Gen. i. 1 In the bigynnyng God made of nouȝt heuene and erthe. 1535 Coverdale Hab. i. 12 Thou o Lorde..art from the begynnynge. 1611 Bible 1 John ii. 13 Yee haue knowen him that is from the beginning. 1875 Bryce Holy Rom. Emp. vi. (ed. 5) 77 Germany proclaims the era of a.d. 843 the beginning of her national existence. |
3. That in which anything has its rise, or in which its origin is embodied; origin, source, fount.
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 73 Þe shame þe þe man haueð of his sinne..is þe biginnigge of fremfulle sinbote. a 1225 Ancr. R. 54 Biginnunge & rote of þis ilke reouðe. 1486 Bk. St. Albans, Her. A j b, Adam the begynnyng of man kynde. 1611 Bible Col. i. 18 The head of the body, the Church: who is the beginning, the first borne from the dead. 1831 Carlyle Sart. Res. ii. i. (1838) 101 Thy true..Beginning and Father is in Heaven. |
† b. A first cause, first principle. Obs.
| 1587 Golding De Mornay vi. 63 The Magies held three beginnings, whom..they called Oromaces, Mitris, and Ariminis, (that is to say) God, Minde, and Soule. |
c. concr. The head or chief extremity.
| 1483 Cath. Angl. 26 Begynnynge, caput. 1578 Banister Hist. Man iv. 62 The second Muscle begynneth at the same Tubercle..with a sharpe begynnyng. |
4. The earliest or first part of any space of time, of a book, a journey, etc.
| 1297 R. Glouc. 399 In þe bygynnynge of Jule þys batayle was ydo. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 385 As Lyncolnyence saiþ in þe bygynnynge of his dictis. 1473 J. Warkworth Chron. 11 In the begynnynge of the moneth of Octobre. 1549 Bk. Com. Pr., 3rd Collect Grace, Who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day. 1611 Bible Num. x. 10 In the beginnings of your monethes, ye shall blow with the trumpets ouer your burnt offerings. 1743 J. Morris Serm. ii. 35 He explains himself in the begining of this chapter. |
5. The initial or rudimentary stage; the earliest proceedings. Often in pl.
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 83 Þerfore wurð here ende werse þene here biginninge. 1340 Ayenb. 72 Þane dyaþ þet is to þe guoden begynnynge of liue. 1548 Coverdale Erasm. Par. Gal. 14 Vnder the grosse beginnynges of this worlde. 1611 Bible Job viii. 7 Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase. 1690 W. Walker Idiom. Ang.-Lat. Pref. i, A considerable encrease to my beginnings. 1776 Adam Smith W.N. I. i. x. 132 Great fortunes acquired from small beginnings. 1790 Burke Fr. Rev. Wks. V. 39 The beginnings of confusion with us in England. 1876 Green Short Hist. ix. §i. (1882) 597 The beginnings of physical science were more slow and timid there. |
† 6. An undertaking. Obs.
| 1481 Caxton Myrr. iii. xxiv. 192 In alle begynnynges and in all operacions the name of god ought to be called. |
▪ II. beˈginning, ppl. a.
[f. begin v.1 + -ing2.]
1. a. That comes into existence or begins its course; incipient, commencing.
| 1576 Grindal Custom & Ver. Wks. (1843) 72 The primitive and beginning church. 1650 Jer. Taylor Holy Living (1727) 201 He helpt my slow and beginning endeavours. 1775 De Lolme Eng. Constit. ii. xvii. 293 He peaceably weathered the beginning storm. 1829 S. Turner Mod. Hist. Eng. III. ii. xviii. 540 [She] waited for her parliament to be the beginning innovators. |
b. spec. Of a course of study, book, student, etc.: preceding others in a series; elementary. N. Amer.
| 1923 E. M. Roberts (title) The beginning telegrapher. 1928 Almack & Lang (title) The beginning teacher. 1962 W. S. Avis et al. (title) Dictionary of Canadian English. The Beginning Dictionary. 1962 S. E. Martin in Householder & Saporta Problems in Lexicography 153 In a sense, the beginning student needs something very similar. 1964 Amer. Speech XXXIX. 51 It is intended as a textbook for a beginning course. |
2. Coming first or in front; leading the way.
| 1609 Douland Ornith. Microl. 40 Euery Beginning Note without a tayle, if the second Note ascend, is a Breefe. |
Hence † beginningly, Obs. in 4 begynandly, initially, at the beginning.
| a 1340 Hampole Psalter cxviii. 152 Bigynandly . that was fra bigynynge of mannys kynd . i . knew that thou hight the kyngdome of heuen till thi lufers. |