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"begin" is also used as a crossword clue. If that's what you saw, the answer is often commence (8 letters).
Definitions
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
Word origin
From Middle English beginnen, from Old English beginnan (“to begin”), from Proto-West Germanic *biginnan, from Proto-Germanic *biginnaną (“to begin”), from be- + base verb *ginnaną also found in Old English onginnan.
Used in a sentence
“I began playing the piano at the age of five.”
“Now that everyone is here, we should begin the presentation.”
“The program begins at 9 o’clock on the dot.”
Source: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0
Used as a crossword answer1 curated clues
01“Start”5 letters
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