Verb

(initiat)

To begin; to start.

* I. Taylor

How are changes of this sort to be initiated ?

To instruct in the rudiments or principles; to introduce.

* Dr. H. More

Providence would only initiate mankind into the useful knowledge of her treasures, leaving the rest to employ our industry.

* John Locke

To initiate his pupil into any part of learning, an ordinary skill in the governor is enough.

To confer membership on; especially, to admit to a secret order with mysterious rites or ceremonies.

* Bishop Warburton

The Athenians believed that he who was initiated and instructed in the mysteries would obtain celestial honour after death.

* Spectator

He was initiated into half a dozen clubs before he was one and twenty.

To do the first act; to perform the first rite; to take the initiative.

(Alexander Pope)

Verb

(commenc)

To begin, start.

* (William Shakespeare)

Here the anthem doth commence .

* (Oliver Goldsmith)

His heaven commences ere the world be past.

* , chapter=4

, title= Mr. Pratt's Patients , passage=Then he commenced to talk, really talk. and inside of two flaps of a herring's fin he had me mesmerized, like Eben Holt's boy at the town hall show. He talked about the ills of humanity, and the glories of health and Nature and service and land knows what all.}}

To begin to be, or to act as.

* (Samuel Taylor Coleridge)

We commence judges ourselves.

(UK, intransitive, dated) To take a degree at a university.

* Fuller

I question whether the formality of commencing was used in that age.