Noun groundwork has 3 senses
- basis, base, foundation, fundament, groundwork, cornerstone - the fundamental assumptions from which something is begun or developed or calculated or explained; "the whole argument rested on a basis of conjecture"
--1 is a kind of assumption, supposition, supposal
--1 is a part of explanation
--1 has particulars: meat and potatoes
- foundation, base, fundament, foot, groundwork, substructure, understructure - lowest support of a structure; "it was built on a base of solid rock"; "he stood at the foot of the tower"
--2 is a kind of support
--2 is a part of structure, construction
--2 has particulars: bed; raft foundation
- groundwork - preliminary preparation as a basis or foundation; "we are prepared today because of groundwork that was done ten years ago"
--3 is a kind of preparation, readying
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