initiate
verb OPAL W
/ɪˈnɪʃieɪt/
/ɪˈnɪʃieɪt/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they initiate | /ɪˈnɪʃieɪt/ /ɪˈnɪʃieɪt/ |
| he / she / it initiates | /ɪˈnɪʃieɪts/ /ɪˈnɪʃieɪts/ |
| past simple initiated | /ɪˈnɪʃieɪtɪd/ /ɪˈnɪʃieɪtɪd/ |
| past participle initiated | /ɪˈnɪʃieɪtɪd/ /ɪˈnɪʃieɪtɪd/ |
| -ing form initiating | /ɪˈnɪʃieɪtɪŋ/ /ɪˈnɪʃieɪtɪŋ/ |
- initiate something (formal) to make something begin synonym set/put in motion
- to initiate legal proceedings against somebody
- The government has initiated a programme of economic reform.
Extra Examples- Anyone has the right to initiate legislation in Parliament by means of a private bill.
- Bacteria then enters the wound and initiates infection.
- He initiated a national debate on reform.
- The organization may initiate legal action against you.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- formally
- immediately
- recently
- …
- initiate somebody (into something) to explain something to somebody and/or make them experience it for the first time
- Many of them had been initiated into drug use at an early age.
- His uncle initiated him into the pleasures of sailing.
- initiate somebody (into something) to make somebody a member of a particular group, especially as part of a secret ceremony
- Hundreds are initiated into the sect each year.
Word Originmid 16th cent. (in sense (3)): from Latin initiat- ‘begun’, from the verb initiare, from initium ‘beginning’.