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# foundation

«foundation» in Mova's school dictionary: **The strong base under a building, usually under the…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

noun (a foundation, foundations; foundation — uncountable)

### meaning for a pupil

1) The strong base under a building, usually under the ground, that holds it up. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/foundation/#m1)

2) The basic idea or part on which something else is built: Reading is the foundation of learning. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/foundation/#m2)

3) An organisation that gives money for good causes: a charity foundation. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/foundation/#m3)

4) The starting or setting up of something: the foundation of the school. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/foundation/#m4)

5) A skin-coloured make-up cream. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/foundation/#m5)

### sense in the lessons

In science and building a foundation spreads the weight of a house; in school basic skills are the foundations of later learning; «Foundation» is also the name of the first year of school in some places (Australia, UK). Phrases: «lay the foundations», «the foundation stone», «without foundation» (not true), «a solid foundation».

### examples

- The builders dug deep foundations for the house. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/foundation/#x1)
- Counting is the foundation of maths. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/foundation/#x2)
- The foundation gave money to the hospital. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/foundation/#x3)
- The rumour is without foundation. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/foundation/#x4)
- My little sister is in Foundation this year. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/foundation/#x5)
- The mayor laid the foundation stone. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/foundation/#x6)
- "I confess, Prince," said the vizir, "that there is some foundation for what you say. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/foundation/#x7)

### note

Usually plural for buildings: «the foundations». Verb: found (found, founds, founded) = set up — not the past of «find». «Without foundation» means not true.

### In the corpora

- [A skyscraper is a strong steel or concrete core and frame standing on deep foundations; its glass walls are only a skin.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/technology/30-bridges-and-skyscrapers/8/)
- [A skyscraper's strong steel or concrete core and frame carry the weight down to deep foundations; the walls are just a skin.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/technology/30-bridges-and-skyscrapers/16/)
- [Builders also dig deep foundations, so a tall tower does not sink into the ground or lean.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/world/86-building-strong-things/15/)
- [Foundations spread a building's weight into the ground.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/world/86-building-strong-things/28/)
- [Then the earth did shake and quake, the foundations of heaven did tremble; they were shaken, because He was wroth.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/2SA.667/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «foundation» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/foundation/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.