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To begin to appear; to look forth from concealment; to make the first appearance. When flowers first peeped, and trees did blossoms bear. Dryden.

e in anything undertaken; continued pursuit or prosecution of any business, or enterprise begun. "The king-becoming graces . . . perseverance, mercy, lowliness." Shak. Whose constant perseverance overcame Whate'er his cruel malice could invent. Milton.

ersist in any business or enterprise undertaken; to pursue steadily any project or course begun; to maintain a purpose in spite of counter influences, opposition, or discouragement; not to give or abandon what is undertaken. Thrice happy, if they know Their happiness, and persevere upright. Milton.

th obstinacy; perversely persistent; obstinate; as, pertinacious plotters; a pertinacious beggar.

; malignant; infectious; contagious; as, pestiferous bodies. "Poor, pestiferous creatures begging alms." Evelyn. "Unwholesome and pestiferous occupations." Burke.

By way of begging the question; by an assumption. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

stray cattle or domestic animals are confined; a pound; a penfold. Shak. A parish pinfold begirt by its high hedge. Sir W. Scott.

The point where a declivity begins; hence, the declivity itself; a descending slope; the degree or rate of descent or slope; slant; as, a steep pitch in the road; the pitch of a roof.

The embryo which has begun its development in the act of germination.

A rendering plebeian; the act of vulgarizing. [R.] You begin with the attempt to popularize learning . . . but you will end in the plebification of knowledge. Coleridge.

It began January 20, and ended February 18. See Vendémiaire.

To begin and not complete. [Obs.] Bacon.

The dwarf wall surrounding the arena of an amphitheater, from the top of which the seats began.

ivisible portion of time; a moment; an instant; hence, the verge. When time's first point begun Made he all souls. Sir J. Davies.

A stately Polish dance tune, in 3-4 measure, beginning always on the beat with a quaver followed by a crotchet, and closing on the beat after a strong accent on the second beat; also, a dance adapted to such music; a polacca.

the barrel sloping upward and crossing the point of the left shoulder; as, to port arms. Began to hem him round with ported spears. Milton. Port arms, a position in the manual of arms, executed as above.

To beg, or assume without proof; as, to postulate conclusions.

e of business; practical; material; businesslike in habit or manner. The next day . . . I began to be very pragmatical. Evelyn. We can not always be contemplative, diligent, or pragmatical, abroad; but have need of some delightful intermissions. Milton. Low, pragmatical, earthly views of the gospel. Hare.…

he ninth month of the French Republican calendar, which dated from September 22, 1792. It began May, 20, and ended June 18. See Vendemiaire.

h seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. Matt. vi. 6. I pray, or (by ellipsis) Pray, I beg; I request; I entreat you; -- used in asking a question, making a request, introducing a petition, etc.; as, Pray, allow me to go. I pray, sir. why am I beaten Shak.