the structures below the surface of the ground that support a building
پايه، بنيان، اساس
The foundations will have to be reinforced to prevent the house from sinking further into the ground
Oxford Essential Dictionary
foundation
noun
1 foundations (plural) the bricks or stones that form the solid base of a building, under the ground
2 (no plural) the act of starting a new organization
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
foundation
foun‧da‧tion W2 AC /faʊnˈdeɪʃən/ BrE AmE noun
1. BUILDING [countable] the solid layer of ↑cement, bricks, stones etc that is put under a building to support it:
It took the builders three weeks to lay the foundations.
The earthquake shook the foundations of the house.
2. BASIC IDEA [countable] a basic idea, principle, situation etc that something develops from
foundation of
All theories should be built on a foundation of factual knowledge.
solid/firm foundation
The course gives students a solid foundation in the basics of computing.
3. ORGANIZATION [countable] an organization that gives or collects money to be used for special purposes, especially for ↑charity or for medical ↑research:
the British Heart Foundation
4. ESTABLISHMENT [uncountable] the establishment of an organization, business, school etc SYN founding:
The school has served the community since its foundation in 1835.
5. be without foundation (also have no foundation) formal if a statement, idea etc is without foundation, there is no proof that it is true SYN be groundless:
Davis dismissed the allegations as being without foundation.
6. lay/provide the foundation(s) for something to provide the conditions that will make it possible for something to be successful:
Careful planning laid the foundations for the nation’s economic miracle.
7. SKIN [uncountable] a cream in the same colour as your skin that you put on before the rest of your ↑make-up
8. shake/rock the foundations of something (also shake/rock something to its foundations) to completely change the way something is done or the way people think by having a completely new idea:
Darwin’s theory rocked the scientific establishment to its foundations.
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
foundation
foun·da·tion AW [foundation foundations] [faʊnˈdeɪʃn] [faʊnˈdeɪʃn] noun
1. countable, usually plural a layer of bricks, concrete, etc. that forms the solid underground base of a building
• The builders are now beginning to lay the foundations of the new school.
• The explosion shook the foundations of the houses nearby.
2. countable, uncountable a principle, an idea or a fact that sth is based on and that it grows from
• Respect and friendship provide a solid foundation for marriage.
• The rumour is totally without foundation (= not based on any facts).
• These stories have no foundation (= are not based on any facts).
3. countable an organization that is established to provide money for a particular purpose, for example for scientific research or charity
• The money will go to the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.
4. uncountable the act of starting a new institution or organization
Syn: establishment
• The organization has grown enormously since its foundation in 1955.
• She used the money to go towards the foundation of a special research group.
5. uncountable a skin-coloured cream that is put on the face underneath other make-up
Idioms: rock something to its foundations ▪ rock the foundations of something
Word Origin:
late Middle English: from Old French fondation, from Latin fundatio(n-), from fundare ‘to lay a base for’, from fundus ‘bottom, base’.
Thesaurus:
foundation noun
1. C, usually pl.
• They started to lay the foundations of the new school.
base • • bottom •
(a) firm/solid/strong foundations/base
have (a) foundations/base/bottom
2. C, usually sing.
• Friendship provides a solid foundation for marriage.
basis • • base •
the foundation/basis/base for/of sth
a/an ideological/intellectual/philosophical/theoretical/economic foundation/basis/base
form/have sth as/establish/use sth as a/the foundation/basis/base of sth
Foundation or basis? Foundation is often used to talk about larger and more important things than basis
• He laid the foundation of Japan's modern economy.
• These figures formed the basis of their pay claim.
Synonyms:
basis
foundation • base
These are all words for the ideas or facts that sth is based on.
basis • [usually sing.] a principle, an idea or a fact that supports sth and that it can develop from: ▪ This article will form the basis for our discussion.
foundation • [C, U] a principle, an idea or a fact that supports sth and that it develops from: ▪ Respect and friendship provide a solid foundation for marriage. ◊ ▪ The rumour is totally without foundation ▪ (= is not based on any facts) ▪.
basis or foundation?
Foundation is often used to talk about larger or more important things than basis: ▪ He laid the foundations of Japan 's modern economy. ◊ ▪ These figures formed the basis of their pay claim.
base • [usually sing.] an idea, a fact or a situation from which sth is developed: ▪ His arguments have a sound economic base.
a/the basis/foundation/base for/of sth
a secure/solid/sound/strong/weak basis/foundation/base
to form the basis/foundation/base of sth
to be without basis/foundation
Synonyms:
bottom
base • foundation • foot
These are all words for the lowest part of sth.
bottom • [usually sing.] the lowest part of sth: ▪ Footnotes are given at the bottom of each page. ◊ ▪ I waited for them at the bottom of the hill.
base • [usually sing.] the lowest part of sth, especially the part or surface on which it rests or stands: ▪ The lamp has a heavy base.
foundation • [usually pl.] a layer of bricks, concrete, etc. that forms the solid underground base of a building: ▪ to ▪ lay the foundations ▪ of the new school
foot • [sing.] the lowest part of sth: ▪ At the foot of the stairs she turned to face him.
bottom or foot?
Foot is used to talk about a limited number of things: it is used most often with tree, hill/mountain, steps/stairs and page. Bottom can be used to talk about a much wider range of things, including those mentioned above for foot. Foot is generally used in more literary contexts.
at/near/towards the bottom/base/foot of sth
on the bottom/base of sth
(a) firm/solid/strong base/foundation(s)
Example Bank:
• Concrete foundations have been laid.
• He believes terrorism undermines the very foundations of our society.
• In 1853 Queen Victoria laid the foundation stone of the new palace.
• Rumours of his resignation are entirely without foundation.
• The Fine Arts degree starts with a foundation year.
• The foundation stone was laid in 1911.
• The peace treaty rests on shaky foundations.
• The scandal rocked the legal establishment to its foundations.
• The thunder seemed to shake the very foundations of the building.
• They had dug too deep and undermined the foundations of the house.
• This agreement laid a sound foundation for future cooperation between the two countries.
• We now have a firm foundation to build on.
• a charitable foundation established in 1983
• a private foundation for sport and the arts
• an event which rocked the foundations of British politics
• digging trenches and laying concrete foundations
• malicious gossip which has no foundation
• malicious rumours which have no foundation
• providing a solid foundation for this new democracy
• He laid the foundation of Japan's modern economy.
• Many of the hospitals were originally established by religious foundations.
• The research centre was set up by a charitable foundation.
• The rumour is totally without foundation.
• Worship is the foundation of all the Church's activities.
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
foundation / faʊnˈdeɪ.ʃ ə n / noun (BUILDING)
foundations [ plural ] the structures below the surface of the ground that support a building:
The foundations will have to be reinforced to prevent the house from sinking further into the ground.
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
foundation / faʊnˈdeɪ.ʃ ə n / noun (BEGIN)
C1 [ U ] an occasion when an organization, state, etc. is established:
the foundation of a new state
C1 [ C ] an organization that has been created in order to provide money for a particular group of people in need of help or for a particular type of study:
the British Heart Foundation
the Environmental Research Foundation
[ U ] UK the first year of infant school, previously known as reception:
a foundation class/teacher
Her youngest child starts (in) foundation in September.
foundation / faʊnˈdeɪ.ʃ ə n / noun (UNTRUE)
be without foundation [ U ] ( also have no foundation ) C2 to be untrue:
These allegations are completely without foundation.
foundation / faʊnˈdeɪ.ʃ ə n / noun [ U ] (MAKE-UP)
a type of make-up that is spread over the skin of the face, usually before other make-up is put on, giving it a better and more even colour and hiding unwanted marks
Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary
foundation
[faʊnde͟ɪʃ(ə)n]
♦♦♦
foundations
1) N-COUNT: usu the N of/for n The foundation of something such as a belief or way of life is the things on which it is based.
Best friends are the foundation of my life...
The issue strikes at the very foundation of our community...
This laid the foundations for later modern economic growth.
●
PHRASE: V inflects If an event shakes the foundations of a society or a system of beliefs, it causes great uncertainty and makes people question their most deeply held beliefs.
The destruction of war and the death of millions of young people shook the foundations of Western idealism...
Emotional conflict may shake the foundations of even the strongest relationship.
2) N-PLURAL The foundations of a building or other structure are the layer of bricks or concrete below the ground that it is built on.
3) N-COUNT A foundation is an organization which provides money for a special purpose such as research or charity.
...the National Foundation for Educational Research.
4) N-UNCOUNT: with brd-neg If a story, idea, or argument has no foundation, there are no facts to prove that it is true.
The allegations were without foundation...
Each complaint is analysed very closely, and if it has no foundation it is rejected.
5) N-MASS Foundation is a skin-coloured cream that you put on your face before putting on the rest of your make-up.
Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary
foundation
foun·da·tion /faʊnˈdeɪʃən/ noun, pl -tions
1 [count]
a : a usually stone or concrete structure that supports a building from underneath
• The inspector discovered a crack in the house's foundation.
• pour/lay/dig the foundation
b : something (such as an idea, a principle, or a fact) that provides support for something
• He insists that these charges are without foundation. [=are unfounded]
• These charges have no foundation in fact. [=there are no facts that support these charges]
• The book explains the moral foundations on which her political career was built.
• These problems threaten the very foundations of modern society.
• The scandal has shaken the government to its foundations.
• Her early research laid the foundation [=provided the basis] for many important medical discoveries.
2 [count] : an organization that is created and supported with money that people give in order to do something that helps society
• They established a foundation to help orphaned children.
• set up a foundation
• a charitable/nonprofit/private foundation
3 [count, noncount] : a special cream that is the color of your skin and that you spread on your face and neck before putting on other makeup
4 [noncount] : the act of founding something
• the foundation of a new school