com|menc´er

com|mence «kuh MEHNS», verb, -menced, -menc|ing.

–v.i.

1. to begin; start: »

The play will commence at eight o'clock. I have wondered many times what I might do with the money, once I commenced to collect my Social Security (Peter Smith).

SYNONYM(S): See syn. under begin. (Cf. ↑begin)

2. Archaic. to begin to be; become.

3. British. to take a degree at a university.

–v.t.

to begin (an action); enter upon: »

A sharp blow of the umpire's whistle commenced play. The injured customer commenced a lawsuit after falling in the store.

SYNONYM(S): See syn. under begin. (Cf. ↑begin)

╂[< Old French comencer < Vulgar Latin cominitiāre < Latin com- together + initiāre begin < initium a beginning < inīre go in < in- in + īre go]

–com|menc´er, noun.