See Also: Kissama Foundation foundation, national park maintenance Angola(finance)
FOUNDATION(law)
foundation(dictionary)
Foundation(medicine)
foundation course(dictionary)
FOUNDATION GP(finance)
foundation(encyclopedia)
foundation(dictionary)
Eye Foundation Hospital(health)
Ford Foundation(encyclopedia)

foundation (iou)



foundation noun. LME.
[Old & mod. French fondation from Latin fundatio(n-), from fundat- pa. ppl stem of fundare: see FOUND verb1, -ATION.]
The action of building on a firm substructure; the state of being so built. Now rare. LME.
fig. The action of establishing or constituting on a permanent footing; esp. the establishing of an institution with provision for its future maintenance. LME.
of the New Foundation, of the Old Foundation (of a cathedral) in which the chapter was reconstituted, left intact, by Henry VIII at the Reformation.
b. The charter establishing a society, institution, etc., with rules for its maintenance. LME-M16.
A fund devoted to the permanent maintenance of an institution; an endowment. LME.
on the foundation, of the foundation entitled to enjoy the funds of an endowed institution, i.e. by being a member of it.
b. An institution (e.g. a college, hospital, monastery, etc.) maintained by an endowment. E16.
M. Meyer Sweden then boasted two universities, both ancient foundations.
c. An organization with a permanent fund devoted to financing research, the arts, and other charitable causes. E20.
Gulbenkian Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, etc.
The solid ground or base (natural or artificial) on which a building rests. Also sing. & (usu.) in pl., the lowest part of a building, constructed below ground level and supporting the weight of the whole. LME.
fig.: P. G. Wodehouse A hearty laugh that rocked me to my foundations.
fig. That on which an immaterial thing is based or depends; an underlying principle or source, the basis of a report or belief, etc. LME.
B. Russell In all social animals..cooperation..has some foundation in instinct. R. Hoggart Girls who were..the foundation of Leeds' predominance as a centre for ready-made clothing. M. Muggeridge My mother's suspicions..were quite without foundation.
b. A basis of agreement. M17-L18.
c. In pl. The fundamental principles of a subject, esp. as a separate object of study. E19.
transf. Something on which other parts are overlaid; esp. (a) a basic underpart or backing of a hat, skirt, etc.; (b) (in knitting etc.) the first set of stitches, to which the rest are secured. M19.
b. A base for cosmetics. Usu. attrib., as foundation cream. E20.
c. = foundation garment below. M20.
Bee-keeping. Sheets of beeswax placed in a frame for the bees to build their combs on. M19.
Comb.: foundation garment a woman's corset or other supporting undergarment; foundation member = founder member s.v. FOUNDER noun1; foundation-school an endowed school; foundation-stone a stone forming part of the foundations of a building, esp. one laid at a public ceremony to mark the beginning of the building; fig. a basis; foundation stop an organ-stop sounding only a note and its octaves.
foundational adjective forming a foundation; basic, fundamental: L17.
foundationary adjective of or relating to a foundation M18.
foundationer noun a person who is on the foundation of an endowed school or college M19.
foundationless adjective having no foundation or basis M17.
foundationlessness noun L19.