Foundation

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: founda=tion

CIDE DICTIONARY

Foundation, n. [F. fondation, L. fundatio. See Found to establish.].

•  The act of founding, fixing, establishing, or beginning to erect.  [1913 Webster]
•  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.  [1913 Webster]

  "Behold, I lay in Zion, for a foundation, a stone . . . a precious corner stone, a sure foundation."  [1913 Webster]

  "The foundation of a free common wealth."  [1913 Webster]
•  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.  [1913 Webster]
•  A donation or legacy appropriated to support a charitable institution, and constituting a permanent fund; endowment.  [1913 Webster]

  "He was entered on the foundation of Westminster."  [1913 Webster]
•  That which is founded, or established by endowment; an endowed institution or charity; as, the Ford Foundation.  [1913 Webster]

  "Against the canon laws of our foundation."  [1913 Webster]

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.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Foundation, n.
1 a the solid ground or base, natural or artificial, on which a building rests. b (usu. in pl.) the lowest load-bearing part of a building, usu. below ground level.
2 a body or ground on which other parts are overlaid.
3 a basis or underlying principle; groundwork (the report has no foundation).
4 a the act or an instance of establishing or constituting (esp. an endowed institution) on a permanent basis. b such an institution, e.g. a monastery, college, or hospital.
5 (in full foundation garment) a woman's supporting undergarment, e.g. a corset.

Idiom

foundation cream a cream used as a base for applying cosmetics. foundation-stone
1 a stone laid with ceremony to celebrate the founding of a building.
2 the main ground or basis of something.

Derivative

foundational adj.

Etymology

ME f. OF fondation f. L fundatio -onis (as FOUND(2))

THESAURUS

Foundation

A, a priori principle, affirmation, alpha, anchorage, appanage, apriorism, arrangement, assertion, assumed position, assumption, axiom, basal, base, baseboard, basement, basic, basic training, basis, bearing wall, bed, bedding, bedrock, beginning, blast-off, bottom, briefing, call, categorical proposition, cause, cellar, chassis, clearing the decks, clown white, cold cream, colonization, commencement, compact, constitution, cosmetics, creation, cutting edge, dado, data, dawn, dot, dower, dowry, drugstore complexion, edge, effectuation, endowment, equipment, establishment, eye shadow, eyebrow pencil, familiarization, first principles, fixation, fixing, floor, flooring, flying start, fond, foot, footing, formation, foundation cream, foundational, founding, frame, fresh start, fundament, fundamental, good reason, greasepaint, ground, grounds, groundwork, hand cream, hand lotion, hardpan, hypothesis, hypothesis ad hoc, inauguration, inception, infrastructure, initiation, installation, installment, institute, instituting, institution, investiture, investment, jointure, jump-off, keel, kick-off, leading edge, legal jointure, lemma, lip rouge, lipstick, lodgment, major premise, makeready, makeup, making ready, manufacture, marriage portion, mascara, material basis, materialization, minor premise, mobilization, mooring, mopboard, mudpack, nadir, nail polish, new departure, oncoming, onset, opening, organization, organizing, origin, origination, outbreak, outset, paint, pavement, peopling, philosopheme, philosophical proposition, pillar, planning, plantation, population, portion, position, postulate, postulation, postulatum, powder, powder puff, prearrangement, preliminaries, preliminary, preliminary act, preliminary step, premise, prep, preparation, preparatory study, preparing, prepping, prerequisite, presupposition, pretreatment, primary, principle, processing, propaedeutic, proposition, propositional function, provision, puff, purpose, radical, raison d'etre, rationale, readying, realization, reason, rest, right, riprap, rock, rock bottom, rouge, rudiment, running start, seat, send-off, setting in motion, setting-up, settlement, settling, shoemold, sill, sole, solid ground, solid rock, spadework, square one, start, start-off, starting point, statement, stereobate, stylobate, substance, substratum, substruction, substructure, sumption, supposal, take-off, talcum, talcum powder, terra firma, theorem, thesis, thirds, toe, tower, training, treatment, trial, truth table, truth-function, truth-value, tryout, underbuilding, undercarriage, undergirding, underlying, underpinning, understruction, understructure, vanishing cream, vanity case, wainscot, war paint, warm-up, warrant

ROGET THESAURUS

Foundation

Preparation

N preparation, providing, provision, providence, anticipation, precaution, preconcertation, predisposition, forecast, rehearsal, note of preparation, arrangement, clearance, adjustment, tuning, equipment, outfit, accouterment, armament, array, ripening, maturation, evolution, elaboration, concoction, digestion, gestation, batching, incubation, sitting, groundwork, first stone, cradle, stepping-stone, foundation, scaffold, scaffolding, echafaudage, training, inurement, novitiate, cooking, cookery, brewing, culinary art, tilling, plowing sowing, semination, cultivation, preparedness, readiness, ripeness, mellowness, maturity, un impromptu fait a loisir, preparer, trainer, pioneer, trailblazer, avant-courrier, avant-coureur, voortrekker, sappers and miners, pavior, navvy, packer, stevedore, warming pan, preparing, in preparation, in course of preparation, in agitation, in embryo, in hand, in train, afoot, afloat, on foot, on the stocks, on the anvil, under consideration, brewing, batching, forthcoming, brooding, in store for, in reserve, precautionary, provident, preparative, preparatory, provisional, inchoate, under revision, preliminary, prepared, in readiness, ready, ready to one's band, ready made, ready cut and dried: made to one's hand, handy, on the table, in gear, in working order, in working gear, snug, in practice, ripe, mature, mellow, pukka, practiced, labored, elaborate, highly-wrought, smelling of the lamp, worked up, in full feather, in best bib and tucker, in harness, at harness, in the saddle, in arms, in battle array, in war paint, up in arms, armed at all points, armed to the teeth, armed cap a pie, sword in hand, booted and spurred, in utrumque paratus, semper paratus, on the alert, at one's post, in preparation, in anticipation of, against, for, abroach, a bove majori discit arare minor, looking before and after, si vis pacem para bellum.

Stability

N stability, immutability, unchangeability unchangeableness, constancy, stable equilibrium, immobility, soundness, vitality, stabiliment, stiffness, ankylosis, solidity, aplomb, establishment, fixture, rock, pillar, tower, foundation, leopard's spots, Ethiopia's skin, permanence, obstinacy, unchangeable, immutable, unaltered, unalterable, not to be changed, constant, permanent, invariable, undeviating, stable, durable, perennial, fixed, steadfast, firm, fast, steady, balanced, confirmed, valid, fiducial, immovable, irremovable, riveted, rooted, settled, established, vested, incontrovertible, stereotyped, indeclinable, tethered, anchored, moored, at anchor, on a rock, rock solid, firm as a rock, firmly seated, firmly established, deep-rooted, ineradicable, inveterate, obstinate, transfixed, stuck fast, aground, high and dry, stranded, stuck, jammed, unremovable, quiescent, deterioration, indefeasible, irretrievable, intransmutable, incommutable, irresoluble, irrevocable, irreversible, reverseless, inextinguishable, irreducible, indissoluble, indissolvable, indestructible, undying, imperishable, incorruptible, indelible, indeciduous, insusceptible, insusceptible of change, Int, stet, littera scripta manet.

Cause

N cause, origin, source, principle, element, occasioner, prime mover, primum mobile, vera causa, author, mainspring, agent, leaven, groundwork, foundation, spring, fountain, well, font, fountainhead, spring head, wellhead, fons et origo, genesis, descent, remote cause, influence, pivot, hinge, turning point, lever, crux, fulcrum, key, proximate cause, causa causans, straw that breaks the camel's back, ground, reason, reason why, why and wherefore, rationale, occasion, derivation, final cause, les dessous des cartes, undercurrents, rudiment, egg, germ, embryo, bud, root, radix radical, etymon, nucleus, seed, stem, stock, stirps, trunk, tap-root, gemmule, radicle, semen, sperm, nest, cradle, nursery, womb, nidus, birthplace, hotbed, causality, causation, origination, production, caused, causal, original, primary, primitive, primordial, aboriginal, protogenal, radical, embryonic, embryotic, in embryo, in ovo, seminal, germinal, at the bottom of, connate, having a common origin, because, behind the scenes, causa latet vis est notissima, felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas.

Base

N base, basement, plinth, dado, wainscot, baseboard, mopboard, bedrock, hardpan, foundation, substructure, substratum, ground, earth, pavement, floor, paving, flag, carped, ground floor, deck, footing, ground work, basis, hold, bilge, bottom, nadir, foot, sole, toe, hoof, keel, root, centerboard, bottom, undermost, nethermost, fundamental, founded on, based on, grounded on, built on.

Support

N support, ground, foundation, base, basis, terra firma, bearing, fulcrum, bait, caudex crib, point d'appui, pou sto, purchase footing, hold, locus standi, landing place, landing stage, stage, platform, block, rest, resting place, groundwork, substratum, riprap, sustentation, subvention, floor, supporter, aid, prop, stand, anvil, fulciment, cue rest, jigger, monkey, stay, shore, skid, rib, truss, bandage, sleeper, stirrup, stilts, shoe, sole, heel, splint, lap, bar, rod, boom, sprit, outrigger, ratlings, staff, stick, crutch, alpenstock, baton, staddle, bourdon, cowlstaff, lathi, mahlstick, post, pillar, shaft, thill, column, pilaster, pediment, pedicle, pedestal, plinth, shank, leg, socle, zocle, buttress, jamb, mullion, abutment, baluster, banister, stanchion, balustrade, headstone, upright, door post, jamb, door jamb, frame, framework, scaffold, skeleton, beam, rafter, girder, lintel, joist, travis, trave, corner stone, summer, transom, rung, round, step, sill, angle rafter, hip rafter, cantilever, modillion, crown post, king post, vertebra, columella, backbone, keystone, axle, axletree, axis, arch, mainstay, trunnion, pivot, rowlock, peg, tiebeam, thole pin, board, ledge, shelf, hob, bracket, trevet, trivet, arbor, rack, mantel, mantle piece, mantleshelf, slab, console, counter, dresser, flange, corbel, table, trestle, shoulder, perch, horse, easel, desk, clotheshorse, hatrack, retable, teapoy, seat, throne, dais, divan, musnud, chair, bench, form, stool, sofa, settee, stall, arm chair, easy chair, elbow chair, rocking chair, couch, fauteuil, woolsack, ottoman, settle, squab, bench, aparejo, faldstool, horn, long chair, long sleeve chair, morris chair, lamba chauki, lamba kursi, saddle, pannel, pillion, side saddle, pack saddle, pommel, bed, berth, pallet, tester, crib, cot, hammock, shakedown, trucklebed, cradle, litter, stretcher, bedstead, four poster, French bed, bunk, kip, palang, bedding, bichhona, mattress, paillasse, pillow, bolster, mat, rug, cushion, footstool, hassock, tabouret, tripod, monopod, Atlas, Persides, Atlantes, Caryatides, Hercules, supporting, supported, fundamental, dorsigerous, astride on, straddle.