foundation
NounWordNet 3.0
Noun (7)
- the basis on which something is grounded“there is little foundation for his objections”
- an institution supported by an endowment
- lowest support of a structure“it was built on a base of solid rock”“he stood at the foot of the tower”Synonyms: basefundamentfootgroundworksubstructureunderstructure
- education or instruction in the fundamentals of a field of knowledge“he lacks the foundation necessary for advanced study”“a good grounding in mathematics”Synonyms: grounding
- the fundamental assumptions from which something is begun or developed or calculated or explained“the whole argument rested on a basis of conjecture”Synonyms: basisbasefundamentgroundworkcornerstone
- a woman's undergarment worn to give shape to the contours of the bodySynonyms: foundation garment
- 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”Synonyms: initiationfoundinginstitutionoriginationcreationinnovationintroductioninstauration
Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)
1.The act of founding, fixing, establishing, or beginning to erect. [1913 Webster]
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. [1913 Webster]
Behold, I lay in Zion, for a foundation, a stone . . . a precious corner stone, a sure foundation.— Is. xxviii. 16.[1913 Webster]
The foundation of a free common wealth.— Motley.[1913 Webster]
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. [1913 Webster]
4.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.— Macaulay.[1913 Webster]
5.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.— Milton.[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. [1913 Webster]
Free On-line Dictionary of Computing
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).