BEGINNING

The act of doing that which begins anything; commencement of an action, state, or space of time; entrance into being or upon a course; the first act, effort, or state of a succession of acts or states.

That which is begun; a rudiment or element.

That which begins or originates something; the source or first cause.

"What was the beginning of the dispute?"

To start, to initiate or take the first step into something.

"I began playing the piano at the age of five.   Now that everyone is here, we should begin the presentation."

To be in the first stage of some situation

"The program begins at 9 o'clock on the dot.    I rushed to get to class on time, but the lesson had already begun."

To come into existence.

Of or relating to the first portion of some extended thing.

"in the beginning paragraph of the chapter"