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foundation

Pronunciation:  fawn'deyshun

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Matching Terms:  foundation for research and technology - hellas, foundation garment, foundation stone, foundationer, foundationless

WordNet Dictionary
 
 Definition: 
  1. [n]  the act of starting something for the first time; introducing something new
  2. [n]  lowest support of a structure; "it was built on a base of solid rock"; "he stood at the foot of the tower"
  3. [n]  a woman's undergarment worn to give shape to the contours of the body
  4. [n]  the fundamental assumptions underlying an explanation; "the whole argument rested on a basis of conjecture"
  5. [n]  education or instruction in the fundamentals of a field of knowledge; "he lacks the foundation necessary for advanced study"; "a good grounding in mathematics"
  6. [n]  an institution supported by an endowment
  7. [n]  the basis on which something is grounded; "there is little foundation for his objections"
 
 Synonyms: base, base, basis, cornerstone, creation, foot, foundation garment, founding, fundament, fundament, grounding, groundwork, groundwork, initiation, innovation, instauration, institution, origination, substructure, understructure
 
 See Also: assumption, basis, bed, beginning, charity, commencement, construction, corset, education, explanation, financial institution, financial organisation, financial organization, footing, girdle, grass roots, ground, panty girdle, raft foundation, relation, roll-on, start, stays, structure, support, supposal, supposition, undergarment

 

 

Webster's 1913 Dictionary
 
 Definition: 
\Foun*da"tion\, n. [F. fondation, L. fundatio. See
{Found} to establish.]
1. The act of founding, fixing, establishing, or beginning to
   erect.

2. That upon which anything is founded; that on which
   anything stands, and by which it is supported; the lowest
   and supporting layer of a superstructure; groundwork;
   basis.

         Behold, I lay in Zion, for a foundation, a stone . .
         . a precious corner stone, a sure foundation. --Is.
                                               xxviii. 16.

         The foundation of a free common wealth. --Motley.

3. (Arch.) The lowest and supporting part or member of a
   wall, including the base course (see {Base course}
   (a), under {Base}, n.) and footing courses; in a frame
       house, the whole substructure of masonry.

4. A donation or legacy appropriated to support a charitable
   institution, and constituting a permanent fund; endowment.

         He was entered on the foundation of Westminster.
                                               --Macaulay.

5. That which is founded, or established by endowment; an
   endowed institution or charity.

         Against the canon laws of our foundation. --Milton.

{Foundation course}. See {Base course}, under {Base}, n.

{Foundation muslin}, an open-worked gummed fabric used for
   stiffening dresses, bonnets, etc.

{Foundation school}, in England, an endowed school.

{To be on a foundation}, to be entitled to a support from the
   proceeds of an endowment, as a scholar or a fellow of a
   college.
 
Computing Dictionary
 
 Definition: 

The axiom of foundation states that the membership relation is well founded, i.e. that any non-empty collection Y of sets has a member y which is disjoint from Y. This rules out sets which contain themselves (directly or indirectly).

 
Dream Dictionary
 
 Definition: Seeing the foundation of a building, represents your belief system. You are well-prepared for any situation before you. Dreaming that the foundation is shifting, suggests that you are changing your beliefs about something.
 
Thesaurus Terms
 
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