begin Copy link Outline 1. (coepĭo), coepi and coeptus sum, 3 (the imperfect tenses are rare and occur in the early writers only)2. incĭpĭo, ceptum, 3 (the most usual word3. occĭpio, cēpi, ceptum, 3 (less frequent)4. ordĭor, orsus, 4 (usu. of the first of a series, Gr. ἄρχειν, and esp. of speaking or writing)5. exordĭor, 4 (like ordĭor)6. ŏrĭor, ortus, 4 (to arise, have its origin7. ingrĕdĭor, gressus, 3 (prop. to enter on8. instĭtŭo, ŭi, ūtum, 3 (prop. to form, appoint9. committo, mīsi, missum, 3 (prop. to put or match together10. ĭnĭtium făcio, căpio sūmo, 311. inchŏo, 1 (which usu. implies leaving unfinished) • begin: 1. (coepĭo), coepi and coeptus sum, 3 (the imperfect tenses are rare and occur in the early writers only): I began to love, amare coepi, Ter.: when a pass. verb follows, the pass. form of the perfect is used; as, these things had begun to be discussed between them, eae res inter eos agi coeptae erant, Caes.: the battle began, pugna coepit, Liv.: he who has begun has done half his task (= 'well begun is half done'), dimidium facti, qui coepit, habet, Hor.: you began better than you end, coepisti melius quam desinis, Ov. 2. incĭpĭo, ceptum, 3 (the most usual word: but the perfect act. tenses do not occur): these things have been begun, haec sunt incepta, Ter.: the corn crops were b.ing to ripen, maturescere frumenta incipiebant, Caes.: they are b.ing to carry on war, bellum gerere incipiunt, Cic.: he had been struck where the leg b.s, ictus erat qua crus esse incipit, Ov.: the king b.s (to speak), rex incipit, Sall.: to b. a work, opus in., Liv. N.B. To b. with or at is expr. with prep. a or ab: it seemed best to b. with Egypt, in rem visum est ab Aegypto in., Justin.: so, one portion of them (the Gauls) b.s with the river Rhone, eorum una pars initium capit a flumine Rhodano, Caes.: v. infr. 3. occĭpio, cēpi, ceptum, 3 (less frequent): to b. a song, cantionem oc., Pl.: the play was begun, fabula occepta est agi, Ter.: to b. to drive a herd, armentum agere oc., Liv. 4. ordĭor, orsus, 4 (usu. of the first of a series, Gr. ἄρχειν, and esp. of speaking or writing): to b. a conversation, sermonem or., Cic.: let us b. with the simplest facts, a facillimis ordiamur, Cic.: let my speech conclude with the same subject as it began with, unde est orsa, in eodem terminetur oratio, Cic.: thus the prophetess began to speak, sic orsa loqui vates, Virg. 5. exordĭor, 4 (like ordĭor): he began to speak, dicere exorsus est, Cic.: to b. with truth, a veritate ex., Cic.: he b.s in these words, his verbis exorditur, Tac.: to b. a war, bellum ex., Liv.: to b. entreaties, preces ex., Ov. 6. ŏrĭor, ortus, 4 (to arise, have its origin: hence not foll. by an infin.): this fear first began with the tribunes, hic timor primum ortus est a tribunis, Caes.: the conversation b.s with him, ab eo sermo or., Cic. 7. ingrĕdĭor, gressus, 3 (prop. to enter on: q. v.): to b. to speak, dicere ingredi, Cic.: thus Venus began (to speak) in reply, sic contra est ingressa Venus, Virg.: to b. a long journey, longinquam profectionem in., Suet. 8. instĭtŭo, ŭi, ūtum, 3 (prop. to form, appoint: hence to b. anything which involves purpose, plan, custom, or the like): proceed as you have begun, perge ut instituisti, Cic.: the Gauls began (habitually) to fortify their camps, Galli castra munire instituerunt, Caes.: Phidias can b. a statue from the first and finish it, Phidias potest a primo in. signum idque perficere, Cic. 9. committo, mīsi, missum, 3 (prop. to put or match together: hence usu. of some kind of contest): to b. (= join) a battle, pugnam c., Cic.: the games were begun, ludi committebantur, Cic. 10. ĭnĭtium făcio, căpio sūmo, 3: to b. a narrative, in. facere narrandi, Sall.: to b. a massacre with any one, caedis in. ab aliquo facere, Cic.: Caes.: v. beginning. 11. inchŏo, 1 (which usu. implies leaving unfinished): v. to commence. Phr.: he b.s to speak, infit farier, Virg.: or simply, infit, Liv.: b. your journey at once, carpe viam, Virg.: to b. life anew, quasi ad carceres a calce revocari, Cic.: few men since the world began have been found to, etc., pauci post genus hominum natum reperti sunt qui, etc., Cic.: he began well and ended ill, ex bonis initiis malos eventus habuit, Sall. N.B. When the verb "to begin" is followed by words denoting a state, the phrase is frequently to be expressed by a Latin inceptive verb: the sun b.s to shine, sol lucescit, Virg.: the sea b.s to be hot, unda calescit, Ov.