lay the groundwork en · VERB
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Meanings
-
(figuratively, idiomatic) To create a foundation; to provide the basics or fundamentals.
The introductory mathematics courses will lay the groundwork for all your subsequent engineering studies.
The FBI launched a phony investigation under false pretenses to prevent one candidate from winning the 2016 election and to lay the groundwork for his removal if he did.
2023 July 21, Michael Anton, “The Pessimistic Case for the Future”, in Compact, archived from the original on 26 Mar 2024:Arrests and prosecutions intensified after Isis captured Mosul in June, but the groundwork had been laid by an earlier amendment to Jordan’s anti-terrorism law. It is estimated that 2,000 Jordanians have fought and 250 of them have died in Syria – making them the third largest Arab contingent in Isis after Saudi Arabians and Tunisians.
2014 November 27, Ian Black, “Courts kept busy as Jordan works to crush support for Isis”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 07 Apr 2023:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| lays the groundwork | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| laying the groundwork | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| laid the groundwork | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| laid the groundwork | Tense=Past | lexicographic |
Translations (20)
pt preparar o terreno (To provide the basics) · fi luoda perusta (To provide the basics) · fi pohjustaa (To provide the basics) · es realizar el anteproyecto (To provide the basics) · te రంగం సిద్ధం చేయు (To provide the basics) · ba нигеҙ һалыу (To provide the basics) · it preparare il terreno (To provide the basics) · es ejecutar el anteproyecto (To provide the basics) · pl kłaść podwaliny (To provide the basics) · el προετοιμάζω το έδαφος (To provide the basics) · es sentar las bases (To provide the basics) · ru заложи́ть основу (To provide the basics) · de Grundstein legen (To provide the basics) · pl położyć podwaliny (To provide the basics) · es preparar el terreno (To provide the basics) · es echar los cimientos (To provide the basics) · fr préparer le terrain (To provide the basics) · ru заложи́ть фунда́мент (To provide the basics) · de Grunstein legen (To provide the basics) · es allanar el camino (To provide the basics)