foundation
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 →
2) The basic idea or part on which something else is built: Reading is the foundation of learning. tree →
3) An organisation that gives money for good causes: a charity foundation. tree →
4) The starting or setting up of something: the foundation of the school. tree →
5) A skin-coloured make-up cream. tree →
sense in the lessons
In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: It is the base of the earth or of the mountains. In Sefer Yetzirah it is the base on which all creation stands. Interpretation: Sefer Yetzirah calls the twenty-two letters the "letters of foundation," the base of all creation. Deuteronomy's "foundations of the mountains" shows how deep God's anger could reach. In the primary 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
- For a fire is kindled in My nostril, and burneth unto the depths of the nether-world, and devoureth the earth with her produce, and setteth ablaze the foundations of the mountains. (Torah DEU.32.22, JPS 1917) tree →
- The twenty-two sounds and letters are the Foundation of all things. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) tree →
- Together these represent the mathematical-linguistic foundations of Creation; see notes on 1:2 below. (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation) tree →
- Whereupon were the foundations thereof fastened? (Writings JOB.38.6, JPS 1917) tree →
- His foundation is in the holy mountains. (Writings PSA.87.1, JPS 1917) tree →
- Have ye not understood the foundations of the earth? (Prophets ISA.40.21, JPS 1917) tree →
- The builders dug deep foundations for the house. tree →
- Counting is the foundation of maths. tree →
- The foundation gave money to the hospital. tree →
- The rumour is without foundation. tree →
- My little sister is in Foundation this year. tree →
- The mayor laid the foundation stone. tree →
- "I confess, Prince," said the vizir, "that there is some foundation for what you say. tree →
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
- Then the earth did shake and quake, the foundations of heaven did tremble; they were shaken, because He was wroth.
- And the king commanded, and they quarried great stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house with hewn stone.
- In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the LORD laid, in the month Ziv.
- And the foundation was of costly stones, even great stones, stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits.
- And her foundations shall be crushed, all they that make dams shall be grieved in soul.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «foundation» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.