commence

• POS: Verb (usu participle)
• HYPHEN: com=mence

CIDE DICTIONARY

commence, v. i. [F. commencer, OF. comencier, fr. L. com- + initiare to begin. See Initiate.].

•  To have a beginning or origin; to originate; to start; to begin.  [1913 Webster]

  "Here the anthem doth commence."  [1913 Webster]

  "His heaven commences ere the world be past."  [1913 Webster]
•  To begin to be, or to act as.  [1913 Webster]

  "We commence judges ourselves."  [1913 Webster]
•  To take a degree at a university.  [1913 Webster]

  "I question whether the formality of commencing was used in that age."  [1913 Webster]

commence, v. t. 

 To enter upon; to begin; to perform the first act of.  [1913 Webster]
" It is the practice of good writers to use the verbal noun (instead of the infinitive with to) after commence; as, he commenced studying, not he commenced to study."  [1913 Webster]
"Many a wooer doth commence his suit."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

commence, v.tr. & intr. formal begin.

Etymology

ME f. OF com(m)encier f. Rmc (as COM-, L initiare INITIATE)

THESAURUS

commence

arise, begin, blast away, blast off, come into being, dive in, embark, embark on, embark upon, enter, enter upon, establish, fall to, get to, go ahead, head into, inaugurate, initiate, jump off, kick off, launch, lead off, open, originate, pitch in, plunge into, send off, set about, set in, set out, set sail, set to, start, start in, start off, start out, take off, take up, turn to

ROGET THESAURUS

commence

Beginning

VB begin, start, commence, conceive, open, dawn, set in, take its rise, enter upon, enter, set out, embark in, incept, initiate, launch, inaugurate, inchoate, rise, arise, originate, usher in, lead off, lead the way, take the lead, take the initiative, head, stand at the head, stand first, stand for, lay the foundations, found, set up, set on foot, agoing, set abroach, set the ball in motion, apply the match to a train, broach, open up, open the door to, get underway, set about, get to work, set to work, set to, make a beginning, make a start, handsel, take the first step, lay the first stone, cut the first turf, break ground, break the ice, break cover, pass the Rubicon, cross the Rubicon, open fire, open the ball, ventilate, air, undertake, come into existence, come into the world, make one's debut, take birth, burst forth, break out, spring up, spring forth, crop up, pop up, appear, materialize, begin at the beginning, begin ab ovo, begin again, begin de novo, start afresh, make a fresh start, take it from the top, shuffle the cards, reshuffle the cards, resume, recommence.