initiate en · VERB · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /ɪˈnɪʃ.i.eɪt/
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ɪˈnɪʃ.ɪ.eɪt/
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin initiātus, perfect passive participle of initiō (“to begin, originate”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from initium (“a beginning”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix), from initus (“an entrance, coming in, approach”) + -ium, from ineō + -tus, from in- + eō (“to go”). Cognate with French initier.
Meanings
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(transitive) To begin; to start.
How are changes of this sort to be initiated?
1860, Isaac Taylor, “(please specify the page)”, in Ultimate Civilization and Other Essays, London: Bell and Daldy […], →OCLC:Hall found the immediate cause at Rickerscote to have been the complete fracture of an axle on STS 53241, the freight train's ninth wagon. The fracture had been caused by fatigue initiated by corrosion pitting on the axle surface.
2026 March 18, Greg Morse, “1996 crash driving freight reforms”, in RAIL, number 1057, page 51:Prior to firing the laser, a surgeon can preilluminate the area to be cut or ablated, enlarge or reduce the area, shape, or size, and then initiate the UV laser pulses for the actual ablation.
2014, David L. Elliott, Ultraviolet Laser Technology and Applications, page 320:Indigenous people, such as agriculturists, hunters, and pastoralists initiated a system of totemism and tabooism which in essence was a natural law against killing and eating certain animals.
1978, David Dhlalangami Maforo, Black-white Relations in Kenya Game Policy, page 5:With the exception of anelloviruses, bidnaviruses, spiraviruses, and some inoviruses, the replicative protein of ssDNA viruses is the so-called HUH endonuclease that cuts genomic DNA at a specific site and initiates rolling circle (or rolling hairpin) replication.
2021 February 24, Encyclopedia of Virology, Academic Press, →ISBN, page 43:A U235 bomb would therefore need to incorporate a gun weighing ten tons. Then there was the question of initiating or triggering the bomb.
2011, Jim Baggott, The First War of Physics, Pegasus Books, →ISBN:This is a very strong move, aptly timed. It initiates the tactical conception which routs Black's hopes.
1961 February, Max Euwe, “How to Win in the Ending”, in Chess Review:
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(transitive) To instruct in the rudiments or principles; to introduce.
to initiate his pupil in any part of learning
1693, [John Locke], “§94”, in Some Thoughts Concerning Education, London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], →OCLC:Divine Providence would only initiate and enter mankind into the useful knowledge of her, leaving the rest to employ our industry.
1653, Henry More, An Antidote against Atheisme, or An Appeal to the Natural Faculties of the Minde of Man, whether There Be Not a God, London: […] Roger Daniel, […], →OCLC:
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(transitive) To confer membership on; especially, to admit to a secret order with mysterious rites or ceremonies.
The Athenians believed that he who was initiated and instructed in the mysteries would obtain celestial honour after death.
1738–1741, William Warburton, The Divine Legation of Moses […], volume (please specify |volume=I, II.1, or II.2), London: […] Fletcher Gyles, […], →OCLC:He was initiated into half a dozen clubs before he was one and twenty.
1714 August 14 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison], “TUESDAY, August 4, 1714”, in The Spectator, number 576; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume VI, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC:
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(intransitive) To do the first act; to perform the first rite; to take the initiative.
The king himself initiates to the power; Scatters with quivering hand the sacred flour, And the stream sprinkles.
1725–1726, Homer, “Book 3”, in [William Broome, Elijah Fenton, Alexander Pope], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], London: […] Bernard Lintot, →OCLC:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| initiates | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| initiated | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| initiated | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| initiating | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic |
Antonyms
halt · pause (to end temporarily) · end (antonym(s) of “to begin”) · suspend · cease (antonym(s) of “to begin”) · finish (to end completely) · complete · discontinue (to end incompletely) · conclude · stop (antonym(s) of “to begin”)
Deriveds
self-initiate · initiatee · noninitiated · photoinitiate · overinitiate · initiatic · uninitiated · noninitiating · overinitiated · preinitiated · reinitiate · photoinitiated · uninitiate
Relateds
initialize · initialism · initiator · initials · initiation · initial · initiable · resume · initiative
Synonyms
induct · commence (to begin) · institute (to begin)
Translations (52)
it iniziare (to begin; to start) · io iniciar (to begin; to start) · la initiō (to confer membership on) · nl starten (to begin; to start) · bg посвещавам (to instruct in the rudiments) · grc μυέω (to confer membership on) · pl wtajemniczyć (to instruct in the rudiments) · sv inleda (to begin; to start) · no sette i gang (to begin; to start) · ar بَادَرَ (To do the first act) · fi opastaa (to instruct in the rudiments) · fi panna alulle (to begin; to start) · pl wtajemniczać (to instruct in the rudiments) · fi käynnistää (to begin; to start) · ja 取り掛かる (to begin; to start) · fi aloittaa (to begin; to start) · bg запо́чвам (to begin; to start) · sq nis (To do the first act) · bg въвеждам (to confer membership on) · fi vihkiä (to confer membership on) · eo inici (to confer membership on) · pam panimunan (To do the first act) · tl magsimula (to begin; to start) · fr démarrer (to begin; to start) · ru инициировать (to begin; to start) · sq nis (to begin; to start) · fa آغازاندن (to begin; to start) · bg лансирам (to confer membership on) · fa آغازیدن (to begin; to start) · sv sätta igång (to begin; to start) · grc τελίσκω (to confer membership on) · bg поставям начало (to begin; to start) · it introdurre (to instruct in the rudiments) · ja 始める (to begin; to start) · nl initiëren (to begin; to start) · tl mag-umpisa (to begin; to start) · de beginnen (to begin; to start) · fr commencer (to begin; to start) · sv uppta (to confer membership on) · sv påbörja (to begin; to start) · cs iniciovat (to begin; to start) · nl beginnen (to begin; to start) · fr initier (to begin; to start) · ja 開始する (to begin; to start) · it iniziare (to confer membership on) · cs zasvětit (to confer membership on) · de einführen (to instruct in the rudiments) · nl aanvangen (to begin; to start) · eo iniciati (to begin; to start) · sv initiera (to begin; to start) · fi johdattaa (to instruct in the rudiments) · it inserire (to confer membership on)