embark on/upon something phrasal verb (see also embark)
to start something, especially something new, difficult, or exciting:
He embarked on a new career as a teacher.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

start to begin doing something:
I’m starting a new job next week.
It’s time we started.
begin to start doing something. Begin is more formal than start, and is used especially in written English:
He began to speak.
The orchestra began playing.
Shall we begin?
commence formal to start doing something:
The company will commence drilling next week.
Work was commenced on the next power station.
get down to something to finally start doing something, especially your work:
Come on, Sam – it’s time you got down to some homework.
We’d better get down to business.
set off to start a journey:
What time do you have to set off in the morning?
I usually set off for work at about 8.30.
set out to start a long journey:
The ship set out from Portsmouth on July 12th.
embark on something especially written to start something, especially something new, difficult, or exciting:
The Law Society has embarked on a major programme of reform.
Jamaica was embarking on a decade of musical creativity.
resume formal to start doing something again after stopping it or being interrupted:
Normal train services will be resumed on April 5th.
Trade was resumed after the end of the war.
get cracking informal to start doing something or going somewhere:
I think we should get cracking straightaway.
start/begin to begin:
What time does the film start?
open to start being shown to the public – used about a play, show, or exhibition:
Lloyd Webber’s new musical opened in London last week.
A major exhibition of her work will open in New York in November.
get under way to start happening or being done – used especially about something that is likely to last a long time:
Construction work is getting under way on a new train network.
Discussions concerning the plan got under way on April 2.
break out to start happening – used especially about a fire, a fight, war, or a disease:
Police were called in when fighting broke out in the crowd.
The blaze broke out on the third floor of the hotel.
kick off informal to start – used especially about a football game or a meeting:
The match is due to kick off this afternoon at Wembley Stadium.
What time will the celebrations kick off?
a good/great start
A 3-0 win is a good start for the team.
a flying start (=a very good start)
The appeal got off to a flying start at the weekend when the group held a raffle.
a promising start (=a good start that makes success seem likely)
Her teacher says she's made a promising start in learning Spanish.
a bad/poor/disastrous start
Things got off to a bad start when two people turned up late.
a rocky/shaky start (=a rather bad start)
After a shaky start, they managed two wins in five matches.
a disappointing start
He accepted full responsibility for the club’s disappointing start to the season.
a slow start
Work got off to a very slow start because of bad weather.
an auspicious/inauspicious start (=one that makes it seem likely that something will be good or bad)
His second term in office has got off to an extremely inauspicious start.
an early/late start
It was long trip so we had planned an early start.
get off to a good/bad etc start
On your first day at work, you want to get off to a good start.
make a good/bad/early etc start
He made a flying start at college, but then he didn't manage to keep it up.
have a good/bad etc start
We’ve had a disappointing start but we are hoping to improve.
beginning the first part of something such as a story, event, or period of time:
The beginning of the movie is very violent.
Let’s go back to the beginning.
commencement formal the beginning of something – used especially in official contexts:
the commencement of the academic year
the commencement of the contract
origin the point from which something starts to exist:
He wrote a book about the origins of the universe.
The tradition has its origins in medieval times.
the onset of something the time when something bad begins, such as illness, old age, or cold weather:
the onset of winter
An active lifestyle can delay the onset of many diseases common to aging.
dawn literary the beginning of an important period of time in history:
People have worshipped gods since the dawn of civilization.
birth the beginning of something important that will change many people’s lives:
the birth of democracy in South Africa
the birth of the environmental movement

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲