foundation

/faʊnˈdeɪʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /faʊnˈdeɪʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /fau̇n-ˈdā-shən/ (ame, mw)

foundation — 名詞

  • foundationsingular
  • foundationsplural

1. the occasion when someone brings an important institution, organization, or syst

1.名詞B2
釋義

創立

建立機構、組織或系統的過程

the occasion when someone brings an important institution, organization, or system into existence

例句

Sora attended the ceremony marking the foundation of the new Asian research institute.

Sora 參加了亞洲新研究院的創立典禮。

foundation of + institution

The foundation of the company took place in a small office above a bookshop.

這家公司在書局樓上的一間小辦公室裡創立。

同義詞
  • establishment

    more general; can apply to rules, systems, or institutions

  • creation

    focuses on the act of bringing something into existence; used for both concrete and abstract things

  • institution

    refers to the resulting organization, not the act of starting it

反義詞
  • dissolution

    the act of officially ending an organization

文法句型

foundation + of + noun phrase

用法筆記

Uncountable in this sense — do not use 'a foundation' when you mean the act of founding. For a specific countable entity founded, see Sense 2.

常見錯誤

❌The foundation of the school happened in 1965.
✅The school was founded in 1965.
💡In everyday English, the verb 'found' is more natural than the noun for specifying when something started.

2. an organization that uses money from an endowment or donations to support charit

2.名詞B2
釋義

基金會

為慈善、教育或科學提供資金的組織

an organization that uses money from an endowment or donations to support charitable, educational, or scientific activities

例句

The local foundation awarded scholarships to students from low-income families this year.

當地基金會今年頒發獎學金給來自低收入家庭的學生。

foundation + awards/gives + object

Shirin applied for a research grant from a foundation that supports climate science.

Shirin 向一個資助氣候科學的基金會申請研究補助金。

同義詞
  • charity

    focuses on aid for people in need; not all foundations are charities

  • endowment

    refers to the money or assets themselves, not the organization

  • trust

    a legal arrangement, often used interchangeably with foundation in some contexts

文法句型

the + foundation + preposition + noun phrase

用法筆記

Commonly used as the subject of verbs like 'award', 'fund', 'donate', and 'support'. The name of a specific foundation usually begins with a capital letter: 'the Rockefeller Foundation'.

常見錯誤

❌I work for a foundation that help poor families.
✅I work for a foundation that helps poor families.
💡'Foundation' is singular and takes a singular verb.

3. the opening class of primary education in the United Kingdom, for children aged

3.名詞B2
釋義

預備班

英國小學第一年，四至五歲

the opening class of primary education in the United Kingdom, for children aged four to five, also called Reception

例句

Eli started foundation class in September at the primary school near his home.

Eli 九月開始上家附近小學的預備班。

foundation class — compound noun

The foundation year programme focuses on basic reading skills and counting through play.

預備班的課程主要透過遊戲來學習基本閱讀和數數。

同義詞
  • reception

    the more common name for this school year in the UK

  • kindergarten

    used in the US and other countries for the same age group but with a different curriculum

文法句型

foundation + noun (class/year/stage)

用法筆記

This sense is mainly used in the UK education system. Outside the UK, 'foundation year' can refer to a preparatory year at university. The compound forms 'foundation class', 'foundation stage', and 'foundation year' are common.

4. the solid underground structure, usually made of concrete or stone, that support

4.名詞B2
釋義

地基

建築物地面以下的支撐結構

the solid underground structure, usually made of concrete or stone, that supports a building from below and keeps it stable

例句

The builders poured concrete into the trenches to form the foundation of the new school.

工人將混凝土倒入溝槽，為新學校打造地基。

pour concrete for the foundation of

Cracks in the foundation can cause serious damage to a house over many years.

地基出現裂縫多年後可能會對房子造成嚴重損害。

同義詞
  • base

    more general; can refer to the bottom part of any object or structure

  • footing

    a technical term for the part of a foundation that spreads the weight over the ground

  • substructure

    the supporting structure below ground level; more formal and technical

文法句型

the foundations + of + noun phrase

用法筆記

Often used in the plural form 'foundations' when referring to the entire base system of a building. The singular 'foundation' can refer to the base as a whole unit or one part of it.

常見錯誤

❌The foundation of the building is cracking.
✅The foundations of the building are cracking.
💡For the structural base of a building, speakers often prefer the plural form.

5. a basic fact, principle, or idea that supports or underlies something and allows

5.名詞B1
釋義

基礎

支撐事物發展的基本事實或原理

a basic fact, principle, or idea that supports or underlies something and allows it to develop — for example, trust being the foundation of a good relationship, or reading skills being the foundation of learning

例句

Trust is the foundation of every healthy relationship between two people.

信任是任何健康人際關係的基礎。

foundation of [abstract]

Andrei's argument had no solid foundation in the available research data.

Andrei 的論點在現有研究數據中沒有任何紮實的基礎。

同義詞
  • basis

    very similar in meaning; 'basis' is slightly more common in everyday speech

  • groundwork

    focuses on the preparatory work done before something can develop

  • bedrock

    stronger, more emphatic; suggests something solid and unshakable

  • cornerstone

    emphasises that something is essential and comes first

反義詞

文法句型

foundation + of + abstract noun

foundation + for + noun phrase

用法筆記

Frequently used with the verbs 'provide', 'form', 'establish', and 'lay'. The preposition 'for' introduces what the foundation supports, while 'of' introduces the thing that acts as the foundation.

常見錯誤

❌The foundation of the problem is the lack of money.
✅The root of the problem is the lack of money.
💡Use 'root' when describing the cause of a problem; 'foundation' describes what something is built upon, not what causes it.

6. used in the fixed expression 'without foundation' to mean that a claim, rumour,

6.名詞B2
釋義

實據

用於否定片語，指缺乏事實根據

used in the fixed expression 'without foundation' to mean that a claim, rumour, or belief is not based on facts and is therefore untrue

例句

The rumours about the manager leaving the company were completely without foundation.

有關經理即將離職的傳聞完全沒有實據。

without foundation — fixed expression

Hassan proved that the accusations against his team were entirely without foundation.

Hassan 證明針對他團隊的指控完全沒有實據。

同義詞
  • unfounded

    adjective with the same meaning; more common in formal writing

  • groundless

    emphasises that there is no reason or evidence for a claim

  • baseless

    focuses on the lack of supporting facts; slightly stronger

反義詞

文法句型

without + foundation

be + without + foundation

用法筆記

Only used in the negative expression 'without foundation' (or 'have no foundation'). There is no positive form — you cannot say 'a claim has foundation' in this sense; use Sense 5 instead for positive statements about factual basis.

常見錯誤

❌The story has no foundation in truth' (ambiguous between sense 5 and sense 6).
✅The story is without foundation.
💡For the meaning 'untrue', the fixed expression 'without foundation' is clearer and more idiomatic.

7. a cream or liquid in a skin-tone colour that you put on your face to create an e

7.名詞B1
釋義

粉底

化妝前塗在臉上的膚色粉底液或粉底霜

a cream or liquid in a skin-tone colour that you put on your face to create an even surface before applying other make-up

例句

Sari applied a light layer of foundation before putting on eye shadow and lipstick.

Sari 先上了一層薄薄的粉底，然後才塗上眼影和口紅。

apply a layer of foundation

Jude bought a new foundation that matched his skin tone perfectly from the shop.

Jude 在店裡買了一瓶跟膚色完全相符的新粉底。

同義詞
  • base

    short for 'base make-up'; used in the UK cosmetics industry

  • face make-up

    more general; includes other products like concealer and powder

  • tinted moisturiser

    a lighter alternative that provides less coverage than foundation

文法句型

apply + foundation

wear + foundation

foundation + noun (bottle/brand/shade)

用法筆記

Uncountable in standard use. When shopping, speakers sometimes say 'a foundation' meaning 'a type/bottle of foundation' ('I bought a new foundation'). This is an informal countable extension and is not standard in formal contexts.

常見錯誤

❌I need to buy foundation creams for my face.
✅I need to buy foundation for my face.
💡'Foundation' is uncountable; do not pluralise it when referring to the product.