begin

take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

We began working at dawn

have a beginning, in a temporal, spatial, or evaluative sense

The DMZ begins right over the hill

set in motion, cause to start

The U.S. started a war in the Middle East

begin to speak or say; he began

Now listen, friends,

Israeli statesman (born in Russia) who (as prime minister of Israel) negotiated a peace treaty with Anwar Sadat (then the president of Egypt) (1913-1992)