Definitions of commencement

1.   The beginning: the thing begun.

2.   Beginning; origin; the occasion when degrees or diplomas are conferred at schools and colleges.

3.   an academic exercise in which diplomas are conferred

4.   the time at which something begins; " They got an early start"

5.   The day when degrees are conferred by colleges and universities upon students and others.

6.   A celebration at the close of a college course, when degrees are conferred; also, the day so observed.

7.   Beginning; time when students receive degrees.

8.   Beginning, rise, or origin; first existence; the great annual day at Cambridge on which degrees are conferred and prize essays read, & c.; the similar day at Oxford is called " The Commemoration".

9.   A beginning; origin.

10.   Beginning; rise; origin; first existence; a day on which academic degrees are publicly conferred; also the day when a student is made a bachelor at Cambridge.

11.   the act of starting something; " he was responsible for the beginning of negotiations"

12.   The first existence of anything; act or fact of commencing; rise; origin; beginning; start.

13.   the time at which something is supposed to begin; " they got an early start"; " she knew from the get- go that he was the man for her"

Antonyms for commencement

ending, revocation, abandonment, death, cessation, middle, closure, finish, cancellation, conclusion, demise, end, termination, omega, recall, close, finishing, dropping, repeal, windup, finale, abortion, rescission, stop, closing, calling, completion, Recision, expiry, expiration, calling off.

Quotes of commencement

1. The commencement speech is not, I think, a wholly satisfactory manifestation of our culture. – John Kenneth Galbraith

2. From the very commencement the student should set out to witness the progress and effects of sickness and ought to persevere in the daily observation of disease during the whole period of his studies. – Robert James Graves

3. Nothing is as easy to make as a promise this winter to do something next summer; this is how commencement speakers are caught. – Sydney J. Harris

4. A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of students dressed in identical caps and gowns that 'individuality' is the key to success. – Robert Orben

5. The whole of that part of Southern Africa which is controlled by racial minorities is experiencing either consistent and regular guerilla activity or is faced with advanced preparation for its commencement – Joe Slovo

6. The year 1826 was remarkable for the commencement of one of those fearful droughts to which we have reason to believe the climate of New South Wales is periodically subject. – Charles Sturt

7. Commencement speeches were invented largely in the belief that outgoing college students should never be released into the world until they have been properly sedated. – G. B. Trudeau

8. A commencement is a time of joy. It is also a time of melancholy. But then again, so is life. – Paul Tsongas

9. It was a myth that's often perpetuated at commencement that holds that only hope and promise lie beyond the halls of academe. Don't worry, be happy. Everything is fine. – Paul Tsongas

Usage examples for commencement

1. “ I have just been looking over it from the commencement ” – Falkland, Complete by Edward Bulwer-Lytton

2. “ The sight was more unpleasant because they knew that they had seen only the commencement of that awful journey. ” – The Gold Trail by Harold Bindloss

3. “ But there was another point of view at which Mr. Prendergast had looked from the commencement but at which he could not get Sir Thomas to look at all. ” – Castle Richmond by Anthony Trollope

4. “ At the commencement of the third race they were still of fine silver, and weighed about 23 or 24 grs. ” – The History of Currency, 1252 to 1896 by William Arthur Shaw

5. “ From the very commencement the fighting was at close quarters, and the storm of shot and shell caused death on every hand. ” – The Great War in England in 1897 by William Le Queux

6. “ Two of them were the wretches we introduced in the commencement of this chapter, the others had joined them during the day, in their course through the city, and with one of them also we have already as intimate an acquaintance as we could wish. ” – The Prime Minister by W.H.G. Kingston

7. “ 28, we observe the commencement of a separation taking place among the fibres of the aponeurosis. ” – Surgical Anatomy by Joseph Maclise

8. “ Of the details of the Commencement of September 25, 1771, when he received his degree, we have but a brief account. ” – The Poems of Philip Freneau, Volume I (of III) by Philip Freneau

9. “ It is a real commencement day mystery, isn't it? ” – Madge Morton's Victory by Amy D.V. Chalmers

10. “ " Not too late," was the reply, " but with his passionate struggle to advance, an earlier commencement would have been more favourable. ” – The Complete Historical Romances of Georg Ebers by Georg Ebers

11. “ All doubt as to whether this was Malcolm's friend, vanished within two minutes of his commencement ” – The Marquis of Lossie by George MacDonald

12. “ There is one instance where Korean children went on a strike just at Commencement time. ” – Flash-lights from the Seven Seas by William L. Stidger Commentator: Bishop Francis J. McConnell

13. “ Let it be remembered, however, as a matter of fact, that when in 1813 Rossini produced Tancredi, which marks the commencement of the reforms introduced by him into serious opera, he had enjoyed no opportunity of seeing any of Mozart's works on the stage. ” – The Great Musicians: Rossini and His School by Henry Sutherland Edwards

14. “ I said at the commencement that I knew little of Ireland from personal contact with it. ” – The Life Story of an Old Rebel by John Denvir

15. “ As this worthy was destined afterwards to be an intimate associate of Paul, our main reason for attending the hop at Bachelor Bill's is to note, as the importance of the event deserves, the epoch of the commencement of their acquaintance. ” – Paul Clifford, Volume 1. by Edward Bulwer-Lytton

16. “ They hated this work of cutting hills from the commencement to the end,- hated it, though it was to bring them wages and save them and theirs from actual famine and death. ” – Castle Richmond by Anthony Trollope

17. “ Yet one thing, at the commencement of the meal, and when the old servant and another had withdrawn from the room, had almost served to keep his suspicions alive. ” – In the Day of Adversity by John Bloundelle-Burton

18. “ As soon as the first arrangements for the commencement of this hospital had been made, de Lescure and Henri went to Clisson. ” – La Vendée An Historical Romance by Anthony Trollope

19. “ For the commencement of their life was just. ” – The Orations of Lysias by Lysias

20. “ People enjoyed finding something to say when he passed them; their laughter still had the effect of making his knees begin to jerk with a nervous movement, like the quickly- suppressed commencement of a flight. ” – Pelle the Conqueror, Vol. 2 by Martin Anderson Nexo