unfounding

Verb (1)

unfound (third-person singular simple present unfounds, present participle unfounding, simple past and past participle unfounded)

1. (rare) To disestablish; to undo the founding of.
   • The Etruscans and Romans practiced destructive rituals to deconsecrate temples and “unfound” cities. Such practices were necessary to remove an old god from his or her temple when rededicating a site to a new deity.2014, Jason Colavito, Jason and the Argonauts through the Ages, McFarland, →ISBN

Verb (2)

unfound (third-person singular simple present unfounds, present participle unfounding, simple past and past participle unfounded)

1. To dismiss a criminal charge as unfounded.
   • Manitoba had the second-lowest provincial rate, and Winnipeg police unfounded only 2 per cent of allegations. (Police and other experts who deal with the issue routinely use “unfound” as a verb.)2017 February 3, Robyn Doolittle, “Unfounded: Why Police Dismiss 1 in 5 Sexual Assault Claims as Baseless”, in The Globe and Mail

   Synonyms:

   no-crime

See all 3 meanings of unfound