commence

  • 1commence — commence, begin, start 1. Commence is a more formal Latinate word for begin or start. Fowler s advice (1926) was to use begin and its derivatives except when these seem incongruous (which is in fact rare); occasions when commence is more… …

    Modern English usage

  • 2commence — I verb arise, auspicate, begin, bring, broach, come into existence, come into the world, embark on, engage in, enter upon, inaugurate, incept, incipere, initiate, install, institute, introduce, launch, lay the foundations, make one s debut, open …

    Law dictionary

  • 3commencé — commencé, ée (ko man sé, sée) part. passé. 1°   Une construction commencée. L année étant commencée. •   Le coeur qui n était encore que commencé à former, DESC. Foetus, 4. •   Serons nous fort contents d une pénitence commencée à l agonie, qui n …

    Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • 4Commence — Com*mence (k[o^]m*m[e^]ns ), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Commenced} (k[o^]m*m[e^]nst ); 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… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 5Commence — Com*mence , v. t. To enter upon; to begin; to perform the first act of. [1913 Webster] Many a wooer doth commence his suit. Shak. [1913 Webster] Note: It is the practice of good writers to use the verbal noun (instead of the infinitive with to)… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 6commence — c.1300, from O.Fr. comencier to begin, start (10c., Mod.Fr. commencer), from V.L. *cominitiare, originally to initiate as priest, consecrate, from L. com together (see COM (Cf. com )) + initiare to initiate, from initium (see INITIAL (Cf …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 7commence — *begin, start, initiate, inaugurate Analogous words: institute, *found, organize, establish Contrasted words: finish, complete, conclude, terminate, end, *close …

    New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 8commence — [v] start action arise, begin, come into being, come into existence, embark on, enter upon, get cracking*, get going, get one’s feet wet*, get show on road*, hit the ground running*, inaugurate, initiate, jump into, kick off*, launch, lead off,… …

    New thesaurus

  • 9commencé — Commencé, [commenc]ée. part. Il a la mesme signification que son verbe …

    Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • 10commence — ► VERB ▪ begin. ORIGIN Old French commencier, from Latin initiare begin …

    English terms dictionary