From WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003) [wn]:
fund
n 1: a reserve of money set aside for some purpose [syn:
monetary fund]
2: a supply of something available for future use; "he brought
back a large store of Cuban cigars" [syn: store,
stock]
3: a financial institution that sells shares to individuals and
invests in securities issued by other companies [syn:
investment company, investment trust, {investment
firm}]
v 1: convert (short-term floating debt) into long-term debt that
bears fixed interest and is represented by bonds
2: place or store up in a fund for accumulation
3: provide a fund for the redemption of principal or payment of
interest
4: invest money in government securities
5: accumulate a fund for the discharge of a recurrent
liability; "fund a medical care plan"
6: furnish money for; "The government funds basic research in
many areas"
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Fund \Fund\, n. [OF. font, fond, nom. fonz, bottom, ground, F.
fond bottom, foundation, fonds fund, fr. L. fundus bottom,
ground, foundation, piece of land. See Found to establish.]
1. An aggregation or deposit of resources from which supplies
are or may be drawn for carrying on any work, or for
maintaining existence.
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2. A stock or capital; a sum of money appropriated as the
foundation of some commercial or other operation
undertaken with a view to profit; that reserve by means of
which expenses and credit are supported; as, the fund of a
bank, commercial house, manufacturing corporation, etc.
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3. pl. The stock of a national debt; public securities;
evidences (stocks or bonds) of money lent to government,
for which interest is paid at prescribed intervals; --
called also public funds.
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4. An invested sum, whose income is devoted to a specific
object; as, the fund of an ecclesiastical society; a fund
for the maintenance of lectures or poor students; also,
money systematically collected to meet the expenses of
some permanent object.
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5. A store laid up, from which one may draw at pleasure; a
supply; a full provision of resources; as, a fund of
wisdom or good sense.
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An inexhaustible fund of stories. --Macaulay.
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Sinking fund, the aggregate of sums of money set apart and
invested, usually at fixed intervals, for the
extinguishment of the debt of a government, or of a
corporation, by the accumulation of interest.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Fund \Fund\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Funded; p. pr. & vb. n.
Funding.]
1. To provide and appropriate a fund or permanent revenue for
the payment of the interest of; to make permanent
provision of resources (as by a pledge of revenue from
customs) for discharging the interest of or principal of;
as, to fund government notes.
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2. To place in a fund, as money.
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3. To put into the form of bonds or stocks bearing regular
interest; as, to fund the floating debt.
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