commence
     v 1: take the first step or steps in carrying out an action; "We
          began working at dawn"; "Who will start?"; "Get working
          as soon as the sun rises!"; "The first tourists began to
          arrive in Cambodia"; "He began early in the day"; "Let's
          get down to work now" [syn: {get down}, {begin}, {get},
          {start out}, {start}, {set about}, {set out}] [ant: {end}]
     2: set in motion, cause to start; "The U.S. started a war in
        the Middle East"; "The Iraqis began hostilities"; "begin a
        new chapter in your life" [syn: {begin}, {lead off}, {start}]
        [ant: {end}]
     3: get off the ground; "Who started this company?"; "We
        embarked on an exciting enterprise"; "I start my day with
        a good breakfast"; "We began the new semester"; "The
        afternoon session begins at 4 PM"; "The blood shed started
        when the partisans launched a surprise attack" [syn: {start},
         {start up}, {embark on}]
Source: WordNet® 2.0