initiate

Word family

Related topics: Organizations

i·ni·ti·ate1 /ɪˈnɪʃieɪt/ AWL verb [transitiveT]

1 formalSTART DOING something to arrange for something important to start, such as an official process or a new plan 开始实施，发起〔重要的事，如正式的程序或新计划〕

They have decided to initiate legal proceedings against the newspaper.

他们决定向该报提起法律诉讼。

Intellectuals have initiated a debate on terrorism.

知识分子就恐怖主义发起了辩论。

2 KNOW somethingto tell someone about something or show them how to do something 使认识；向〔某人〕传授〔技巧〕

initiate somebody into something

Those kids were initiated into heroin use at a young age.

那些孩子很小就被教会如何吸食海洛因。

3 SSOJOIN AN ORGANIZATIONto introduce someone into an organization, club, group etc, usually with a special ceremony 〔通过特殊仪式〕使〔某人〕加入〔组织、俱乐部、团体等〕

initiate somebody into something

At the age of thirteen, the boys in the tribe are initiated into manhood.

部落里的男孩到13岁就经由成人礼而步入成人之列。

Examples from the Corpus

initiate• The rebels appear to have initiated a new stage in the war when they crossed the border into Dagestan yesterday morning.• But if you'd also been able to identify me then they would certainly have initiated an investigation.• Goldstein fully expects an Architecture-Neutral Distribution Format product programme to be initiated during 1994.• It is not clear what initiates HAPCs.• Peace talks have been initiated in an attempt to avert full scale war.• The couple plan to initiate legal proceedings against the police.• The Profitboss initiates policies and practices that ensure all employees are consistently treated.• A large number of companies have initiated recycling programs.• You may be initiating the correspondence.• Finally, after deliberation, it was decided to initiate the Peace Corps program despite misgivings about working under a military regime.• They are the verbs which should initiate the style of movement needed to sustain a ballet.

initiate somebody into something• My grandmother initiated me into the mysteries of quilting.