Groundworknoun
The foundation; the basic or fundamental parts that support or allow for the rest.
âThe discovery of the laws of electricity laid the groundwork for a century of innovation.â;
Foundationnoun
The act of founding, fixing, establishing, or beginning to erect.
âThe foundation of his institute has been wrought with difficulty.â;
Groundworknoun
That which forms the foundation or support of anything; the basis; the essential or fundamental part; first principle; as, development of a convenient DNA sequencing technique layed the groundwork for many of the subsequent advances in molecular genetics.
Foundationnoun
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; underbuilding.
Groundworknoun
the fundamental assumptions from which something is begun or developed or calculated or explained;
âthe whole argument rested on a basis of conjectureâ;
Foundationnoun
(figurative) The result of the work to begin something; that which stabilizes and allows an enterprise or system to develop.
Groundworknoun
lowest support of a structure;
âit was built on a base of solid rockâ; âhe stood at the foot of the towerâ;
Foundationnoun
(card games) In solitaire or patience games, one of the piles of cards that the player attempts to build, usually holding all cards of a suit in ascending order.
Groundworknoun
preliminary preparation as a basis or foundation;
âwe are prepared today because of groundwork that was done ten years agoâ;
Foundationnoun
(architecture) The lowest and supporting part or member of a wall, including the base course and footing courses; in a frame house, the whole substructure of masonry.
âThe foundations of this construction have been laid out.â;
Foundationnoun
A donation or legacy appropriated to support a charitable institution, and constituting a permanent fund; endowment.
Foundationnoun
That which is founded, or established by endowment; an endowed institution or charity.
âThe Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. is the parent organization of the Wiktionary collaborative project.â;
Foundationnoun
(cosmetics) Cosmetic cream roughly skin-colored, designed to make the face appear uniform in color and texture.
Foundationnoun
A basis for social bodies or intellectual disciplines.
Foundationnoun
The act of founding, fixing, establishing, or beginning to erect.
Foundationnoun
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.
âBehold, I lay in Zion, for a foundation, a stone . . . a precious corner stone, a sure foundation.â; âThe foundation of a free common wealth.â;
Foundationnoun
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.
Foundationnoun
A donation or legacy appropriated to support a charitable institution, and constituting a permanent fund; endowment.
âHe was entered on the foundation of Westminster.â;
Foundationnoun
That which is founded, or established by endowment; an endowed institution or charity; as, the Ford Foundation.
âAgainst the canon laws of our foundation.â;
Foundationnoun
the basis on which something is grounded;
âthere is little foundation for his objectionsâ;
Foundationnoun
an institution supported by an endowment
Foundationnoun
the fundamental assumptions from which something is begun or developed or calculated or explained;
âthe whole argument rested on a basis of conjectureâ;
Foundationnoun
lowest support of a structure;
âit was built on a base of solid rockâ; âhe stood at the foot of the towerâ;
Foundationnoun
education or instruction in the fundamentals of a field of knowledge;
âhe lacks the foundation necessary for advanced studyâ; âa good grounding in mathematicsâ;
Foundationnoun
a woman's undergarment worn to give shape to the contours of the body
Foundationnoun
the act of starting something for the first time; introducing something new;
âshe looked forward to her initiation as an adultâ; âthe foundation of a new scientific societyâ; âhe regards the fork as a modern introductionâ;
Foundationnoun
the lowest load-bearing part of a building, typically below ground level
âfoundations were being dug for a block of flatsâ; âbuild the arch resting on top of this solid foundationâ;
Foundationnoun
a coloured cream, powder, or liquid used as a base to even out facial skin tone before applying other cosmetics
âapply moisturizer a few minutes before using foundationâ; âa foundation brushâ; âheavy foundations and concealers can contribute to dull skin and clogged poresâ;
Foundationnoun
an underlying basis or principle
âphysics, the foundation of all the sciencesâ; âwithout stability, the country will not be able hold the elections that will lay the foundation for a peaceful and democratic futureâ; âthis idea is the foundation of all modern economicsâ;
Foundationnoun
justification or reason
âmisleading accusations with no foundationâ;
Foundationnoun
the action of establishing an institution or organization
âthe foundation of a civil service collegeâ;
Foundationnoun
an institution established with an endowment, for example a research body or charity
âcharitable foundationsâ;