TO BEGIN WITH

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does to begin with mean? 

• TO BEGIN WITH (adverb)
  The adverb TO BEGIN WITH has 1 sense:

1. before now

  Familiarity information: TO BEGIN WITH used as an adverb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TO BEGIN WITH (adverb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Before now

Synonyms:

earlier; in the beginning; in the first place; originally; to begin with

Context example:

why didn't you tell me in the first place?

 Context examples 

I had to learn my tools to begin with, and every simple mechanical principle which such a man would have at his finger ends I had likewise to learn.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Mine is to begin with hack-work and develop into an able author.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

While larger galaxies have more matter to begin with, they're also harder to escape for travelling atoms, which is why the flow usually goes towards the bigger galaxies.

(Half Our Body's Atoms Could Have Come from Outside The Galaxy, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

The only reason it worked for 47 Tucanae was that there were enough pulsars in it to begin with, and they were close enough to see.

(Elusive Middleweight Black Hole Found at Center of Giant Star Cluster, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

To begin with, Hannah's cooking didn't turn out well.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

But then, as I used to say to mother, a woman wants her own circle to begin with, and I had not got mine yet.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“This effect was even stronger among people with high blood pressure to begin with.”

(Can Chocolate Really Be Good for You?, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

I am compelled, to begin with, to say something of my own college career.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Mrs. Elton had undoubtedly the advantage, at this time, in vanity completely gratified; for though she had intended to begin with Frank Churchill, she could not lose by the change.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

The logical starting point was to begin with the two gases most plentiful in Titan’s atmosphere: nitrogen and methane.

(Experiments recreate aromatic flavors of Titan, NASA)