c.1385, "action of founding," from L. fundationem (nom. fundatio) "a founding," from fundatus, pp. of fundare (see found (1)). The L. word is glossed in O.E. by staþol. Meaning "that which is founded" (a college, hospital, etc.) is from 1513; meaning "funds endowed" is c.1430. Sense of "solid base of a structure" is from 1494.
the basis on which something is grounded; "there is little foundation for his objections"
2.
an institution supported by an endowment
3.
lowest support of a structure; "it was built on a base of solid rock"; "he stood at the foot of the tower"
4.
education or instruction in the fundamentals of a field of knowledge; "he lacks the foundation necessary for advanced study"; "a good grounding in mathematics"
5.
the fundamental assumptions from which something is begun or developed or calculated or explained; "the whole argument rested on a basis of conjecture" [syn: basis]
6.
a woman's undergarment worn to give shape to the contours of the body [syn: foundation garment]
7.
the act of starting something for the first time; introducing something new; "she looked forward to her initiation as an adult"; "the foundation of a new scientific society" [syn: initiation]
foundation 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).
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.
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