Past tense of embark; to board a ship or aircraft, or to start on a journey, adventure, or undertaking.
From Old French 'embarquer,' from 'em-' (into) plus 'barque' (boat or ship), from Latin 'barca.' The word originally meant specifically to board a ship but expanded to mean starting any venture.
When you 'embark' on something, you're literally getting into a boat—the word carries the metaphor that starting any big project is like setting sail into unknown waters!
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