(1) 建立，创办(act of founding) [U]：the～of a music school/a new university一所音乐学校/新大学的建立;the～of the People's Republic人民共和国的建立;〖同〗founding，establishment;

(2) 1) 基金会(organization providing money to be used for a special purpose) [C]：an arts～艺术基金会;the Ford/Rockefeller F～ 福特/洛克菲勒基金会;the National F～for Education Research全国教育研究基金会;The～provides money for hospitals and medical research. 该基金会为医院和医学研究部门提供资金。2) (靠基金建立或维持的)机构(institution that is established by means of such a fund) [C]：a medical～一个医疗机构;〖同〗 fund;

(3) 地基(础) (base on which sth is built) [C，通常pl]：lay the～s of a building/a new hospital为建筑物/新医院奠基;dig the～s 挖地基;pour a solid～of cement浇注坚固的混凝土地基;shake a building to its～s 动摇了建筑物的基础;firm/sound～s 坚实的基础;〖同〗base，ground;

(4) 根本，基础(base on which beliefs，ideas，opinions，etc are formed) [C，U]：lay the～s of one's philosophy/one's career为自己的人生观/事业奠定基础;the～s of democracy/modern science/civilized living民主/现代科学/文明生活的基础;economic～(s) 经济基础;shake the nation to its～s 动摇这个国家的根基;the moral～of society社会的道德基础;the historical～for sb's character某人性格的历史根源;The story/rumour/theory is without (has no)～in fact . 这个谎言/传言/理论实际上是没有根据的。～course基础课;〖同〗basis，base;

→foun′dation-stone n 基石;

【辨异】 foundation与base和basis的区别见BASE。