*an all-out effort
a very good and thorough effort. (*Typically: begin ~; have ~; make ~; start ~.) We need to make an all-out effort to get this job done on time. The government began an all-out effort to reduce the federal budget.
begin by doing something
to start out by doing something first. We will begin by painting the house. She began by opening the door.
begin to see daylight
Fig. to begin to see the end of a long task. I've been working on my thesis for two years, and at last I'm beginning to see daylight. I've been so busy. Only in the last week have I begun to see daylight.
begin to see the light
Fig. to begin to understand something. (See also
see the light (at the end of the tunnel).)
My algebra class has been hard for me, but I'm beginning to see the light. I was totally confused, but I began to see the light after your explanation. begin with someone or something
to start off a sequence with someone or something. Let's have dinner begin with a nice clear soup. I will begin with Liz and take Frank next.
Charity begins at home.
Prov. You should take care of family and people close to you before you worry about helping others. I don't think our church should worry so much about a foreign relief fund when there are people in need right here in our city. Charity begins at home. If you really want to make the world a better place, start by being polite to your sister. Charity begins at home.
He that would the daughter win, must with the mother first begin.
Prov. If you want to marry a woman, you should find a way to impress her mother, so that the mother will favor her marrying you. Harry: I think I want to marry Gina. Bill: Don't propose to her until you're sure her mother is on your side. He that would the daughter win, must with the mother first begin.
He who begins many things, finishes but few.
Prov. If you start a lot of projects, you will not have time and energy to complete them all. (Can be used to warn someone against starting too many projects.) Sarah's room is littered with sweaters and mittens she started to knit but never finished, a testament to the fact that she who begins many things, finishes but few.
He who would climb the ladder must begin at the bottom.
Prov. If you want to gain high status, you must start with low status and slowly work upwards. Although Thomas hoped to become a famous journalist, he didn't mind working for a small-town newspaper at first. "He who would climb the ladder must begin at the bottom," he said.
jumping-off point
and jumping-off placea point or place from which to begin something. The local library is a good jumping-off point for your research. The office job in that company would be a good jumping-off place for a career in advertising.
Life begins at forty.
Prov. By the time you are forty years old, you have enough experience and skill to do what you want to do with your life. (Often said as an encouragement to those reaching middle age.) Alan: Why are you so depressed? Jane: Tomorrow's my fortieth birthday. Alan: Cheer up! Life begins at forty. For Pete, life began at forty, because by that time he had enough financial security to enjoy himself now and then, rather than having to work all the time.
see the light
Fig. to understand something clearly at last. After a lot of studying and asking many questions, I finally saw the light. I know that geometry is difficult. Keep working at it. You'll see the light pretty soon.
see the light (at the end of the tunnel)
Fig. to foresee an end to one's problems after a long period of time. (See also
begin to see the light.)
I had been horribly ill for two months before I began to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I began to see the light one day in early spring. At that moment, I knew I'd get well. see the light (of day)
Fig. to come to the end of a very busy time. Finally, when the holiday season was over, we could see the light of day. We had been so busy! When business lets up for a while, we'll be able to see the light.
Charity begins at home.
something that you say which means you should try to help your family and friends before you help other people You ought to stay in and look after your father. Charity begins at home.
see the light (of day)
1. if an object sees the light of day, it is brought out so that people can see it The archives contain vintage recordings, some of which have never seen the light of day.
2. if something, especially an idea or a plan, sees the light of day, it starts to exist It was the year when the equal opportunities bill first saw the light of day.
see the light
1. to understand something clearly, especially after you have been confused about it for a long time Sarah used to have very racist views, but I think she's finally seen the light.
2. to start believing in a religion, often suddenly I hope my book will help others to see the light.
begin to see daylight
Realize that a task is finally nearing completion, that success or the right solution is near at hand. For example,
I've been working on this experiment for two years and I'm finally beginning to see daylight . The noun
daylight has been a metaphor for knowledge and solution since the late 1600s. Also see
light at the end of the tunnel;
see the light.
charity begins at home
Be generous to your family before helping others. For example, She spends hours and hours on volunteer work and neglects the children, forgetting that charity begins at home . This proverb was first recorded in English, in slightly different form, in John Wycliffe's Of Prelates (c. 1380); "Charity should begin at himself."
see the light
Also,
begin to see the light. Understand or begin to understand something; also, see the merit of another's explanation or decision. For example,
Dean had been trying to explain that tax deduction for fifteen minutes when I finally saw the light , or
Pat was furious she and her friends were not allowed to go hiking on their own in the mountains, but she began to see the light when a group got lost up there . This term, dating from the late 1600s, originally referred to religious conversion, the
light meaning "true religion." By the early 1800s it was used more broadly for any kind of understanding. Also see
light at the end of a tunnel;
see the light of day.
to start with
Also,
to begin with. In the first place, initially, as in
We'll notify him by e-mail to start with, or
To begin with, they haven't paid their taxes in years. The first term dates from the second half of the 1800s, the variant from the mid-1500s. Also see
for openers.