/ faʊnd; NAmE / verb [ vn ]
1.
to start sth, such as an organization or an institution, especially by providing money
SYN establish :
to found a club / company
Her family founded the college in 1895.
2.
to be the first to start building and living in a town or country :
The town was founded by English settlers in 1790.
3.
[ usually passive ] found sth (on sth) to base sth on sth :
Their marriage was founded on love and mutual respect.
—see also ill-founded , unfounded , well founded
4.
( technical ) to melt metal and pour it into a mould ; to make objects using this process
—see also find verb
••
WORD ORIGIN
senses 1 to 3 Middle English : from Old French fonder , from Latin fundare , from fundus bottom, base.
sense 4 early 16th cent.: from French fondre , from Latin fundere melt, pour.