| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | introductory event; beginning |
| Synonyms: | first round, foundation, groundwork, initiation, introduction, opening, preamble, preface, prelims, prelude, preparation, start |
| Antonyms: | closing, conclusion, finale |
| Main Entry: | principle |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | law, standard |
| Synonyms: | assumption, axiom, basis, canon, convention, criterion, dictum, doctrine, dogma, ethic, form, formula, foundation, fundamental, golden rule, ground, maxim, origin, postulate, precept, prescript, principium, proposition, regulation, rule, source, theorem, truth, usage, verity |
| Notes: | principle means fundamental, as in beliefs or truths or understandings and it is always a noun; principal can be a noun or adjective meaning chief or of first importance |
| Main Entry: | provision |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | supplies, supplying |
| Synonyms: | accouterment, arrangement, catering, emergency, equipping, fitting out, foundation, furnishing, groundwork, outline, plan, prearrangement, precaution, preparation, procurement, providing, stock, store, supplying |
| Antonyms: | removal, taking |
| Main Entry: | root |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | base, core |
| Synonyms: | basis, bedrock, beginnings, bottom, cause, center, crux, derivation, essence, essentiality, footing, foundation, fountain, fountainhead, fundamental, germ, ground, groundwork, heart, inception, infrastructure, mainspring, marrow, motive, nub, nucleus, occasion, origin, pith, provenance, provenience, quick, quintessence, radicle, radix, reason, rhizome, rock bottom, seat, seed, soul, source, starting point, stem, stuff, substance, substratum, tuber, underpinning, well |
| Notes: | a rout is a disorderly crowd of people or an overwhelming defeat; a root is the usually underground organ of a plant that lacks buds or leaves or nodes and absorbs water and mineral salts - or the form of a word after all affixes are removed; a route is an established line of travel or access - or a road, course, or way for travel from one place to another |
| Antonyms: | derivation, derivative, sprout |
| Main Entry: | rudiments |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | fundamentals |
| Synonyms: | ABCs, basics, beginnings, elements, essentials, first principles, foundation, guts*, heart, nitty-gritty, principles |
| Main Entry: | ruins |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | buildings that are dilapidated |
| Synonyms: | ashes, debris, destruction, detritus, foundation, relics, remains, remnants, residue, rubble, traces, vestiges, wreck, wreckage |
| Main Entry: | settlement |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | community |
| Synonyms: | colonization, colony, encampment, establishment, foundation, habitation, hamlet, inhabitancy, occupancy, occupation, outpost, plantation, principality, residence |
| Main Entry: | start |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | beginning |
| Synonyms: | alpha*, birth, bow, commencement, countdown, dawn, dawning, day one, derivation, embarkation, exit, first step, flying start, foundation, inauguration, inception, initiation, jump-off, kickoff, leaving, onset, opening, origin, outset, running start, setting out, source, spring, square one, start-off, takeoff |
| Antonyms: | completion, conclusion, death, end, ending, finish, stop |
| Main Entry: | support |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | something that holds up structure |
| Synonyms: | abutment, agency, back, backing, base, bed, bedding, block, brace, buttress, collar, column, cornerstone, device, flotation, foothold, footing, foundation, fulcrum, groundwork, guide, hold, lining, means, medium, pillar, platform, pole, post, prop, rampart, reinforcement, rest, rib, rod, shore, stake, stanchion, stave, stay, stiffener, stilt, substratum, substructure, sustentation, timber, underpinning |