Phrase guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
No pronunciation record was provided for this word.
verb
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see lay, foundation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To elicit information from a witness to show that the witness has knowledge of a matter before the witness testifies to the matter itself.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: law
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To make a start.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Figurative senses from the idea of laying a foundation as the first step in constructing a building.
