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illegitimate foundation

[ɪləˈdʒɪtɪmət faʊnˈdeɪʃən]
nounpl: illegitimate foundations
fundação ilegítima
1. A basis, ground, or premise that lacks legal validity, proper authorization, or moral justification
The court ruled that the contract had an illegitimate foundation and was therefore void.
O tribunal decidiu que o contrato tinha uma fundação ilegítima e, portanto, era nulo.
2. An argument, claim, or theory that rests on false, unproven, or unjustifiable premises
The entire thesis was built on an illegitimate foundation of unsupported assumptions.
Toda a tese foi construída sobre uma fundação ilegítima de pressupostos não comprovados.
Synonyms
false foundationfaulty premisegroundless basisinvalid foundationunsound footing
Antonyms
legitimate foundationvalid foundationsolid groundlawful basisjustified premise

Regional Variations

General Brazilian Portuguese
fundação ilegítima
Standard usage in legal and academic contexts
São Paulo
fundação ilegítima
Commonly used in business and legal documents
Portugal
fundação ilegítima
Standard European Portuguese usage in formal discourse

Related Idioms & Phrases

built on sand
on shaky ground
without a leg to stand on
castelo de areia (Portuguese: literally 'castle of sand')
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