Beginning a journey or adventure, or starting to do something new and often difficult or exciting.
From Old French 'embarquer' combining 'en-' meaning 'into' and 'barque' meaning 'boat,' literally meaning 'to get into a boat.' The word evolved metaphorically to mean beginning any journey.
The metaphor of 'embarking' on something non-nautical is really interesting—we describe starting college or a career as 'embarking,' which shows how much human journeys throughout life feel like actual voyages with unknown destinations.
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