commence

Verb

commence (third-person singular simple present commences, present participle commencing, simple past and past participle commenced)

1. (intransitive) To begin, start.
   • Here the anthem doth commence:1601, William Shakespeare, The Phoenix and the Turtle
   • His heaven commences ere the world be past!1770, Oliver Goldsmith, “The Deserted Village”, in The Miscellaneous Works of Oliver Goldsmith, London: W. Griffin, published 1775, page 164
2. (transitive) To begin, start.
   • The speeches commenced three days of workshops, seminars, and cultural activities.1976 December 11, Thom Willenbecher, quoting Jean O'Leary, “Women's Caucus Quits Gay Academic Union”, in Gay Community News, volume 4, number 24, page 1
3. (Appalachia, intransitive) To begin or start.
   • At dawn we'll commence to drive.
4. (transitive) To begin to be, or to act as.
   • […] he furnish’d me with a Gun, Cartouch-box, and Powder-horn, &c. and thus accouter’d I commenc’d Soldier.1743, Robert Drury, The Pleasant, and Surprizing Adventures of Mr. Robert Drury, during his Fifteen Years Captivity on the Island of Madagascar, London, page 126
   • When we are wearied of the trouble of prosecuting crimes at the bar, we commence judges ourselves […]1825, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Aids to Reflection in the Formation of a Manly Character, London: Taylor & Hessey, Prudential Aphorisms, Aphorism 15, page 48
5. (UK, dated, intransitive) To take a degree at a university.
   • […] I question whether the Formality of Commencing was used in that Age: inclining rather to the negative, that such Distinction of Graduates was then unknown […]1655, Thomas Fuller, “The Seventh Century”, in The Church-history of Britain; […], London: […] Iohn Williams […], →OCLC, (please specify |book=I to XI), page 75
   • […] was admitted a minor fellow of his college 4 Oct. 1591, a major fellow 11 March 1591-2, and commenced M.A. in 1592.1861, George John Gray, Athenae Cantabrigienses: 1586-1609, page 272