fund

/fənd/

/fənd/

Other forms: funds; funding; funded

A fund is a supply of money to be used for a specific purpose. You can start a fund for almost anything, such as your child’s education, a new car, or the establishment of the world’s largest origami collection.

Fund can be used as a verb meaning “provide funds for something.” If you’re unable to save up the money to start your origami collection, you might ask a friend to fund it. (We predict she’ll say no.) An organization that raises money for a particular, often charitable, purpose can also be called a fund. We doubt an origami collection warrants its own fund, but there's no harm in trying.

Definitions of fund

1. noun

   a reserve of money set aside for some purpose
   synonyms: monetary fund

   types:

   mutual fund

   the pooled money that is invested in assets

   revolving fund

   a fund which, if borrowed or used, is intended to be replenished so it may be loaned or spent repeatedly

   sinking fund

   a fund accumulated regularly in a separate account and used to redeem debt securities

   nest egg, savings

   a fund of money put by as a reserve

   pension fund, superannuation fund

   a fund reserved to pay workers' pensions when they retire from service

   war chest

   a fund accumulated to finance a war (or a political campaign)

   slush fund

   a fund for buying votes or bribing public officials

   trust fund

   a fund held in trust

   bank deposit, deposit

   money deposited in a bank or some similar institution

   budget

   a sum of money allocated for a particular purpose

   petty cash

   a small fund of cash that a firm keeps for the payment of incidental expenses

   ETF, exchange traded fund

   a mutual fund that is traded on a stock exchange

   index fund

   a mutual fund whose assets are stocks on a given list

   demand deposit

   a bank deposit from which withdrawals can be made without notice

   Civil List

   a sum of money voted by British Parliament each year for the expenses of the British royal family

   operating budget

   a budget for current expenses as distinct from financial transactions or permanent improvements

   type of:

   money

   the most common medium of exchange; functions as legal tender
2. noun

   a supply of something available for future use
   synonyms: stock, store

   types:

   base, infrastructure

   the stock of basic facilities and capital equipment needed for the functioning of a country or area

   cache, hoard, stash

   a secret store of valuables or money

   provision

   a store or supply of something (especially of food or clothing or arms)

   government issue, issue, military issue

   supplies (as food or clothing or ammunition) issued by the government

   seed stock

   a supply of seeds (or tubers) reserved for planting

   seed corn, seed grain

   good quality seeds (as kernels of corn) that are reserved for planting

   type of:

   accumulation

   (finance) profits that are not paid out as dividends but are added to the capital base of the corporation
3. verb

   furnish money for
   “The government funds basic research in many areas”

   types:

   grubstake

   supply with funds in return for a promised share of profits

   bankroll

   provide with sufficient funds; finance

   absorb, take over

   take up, as of debts or payments

   type of:

   support

   support materially or financially
4. verb

   place or store up in a fund for accumulation
   type of:

   accumulate, amass, collect, compile, hoard, pile up, roll up

   get or gather together
5. verb

   provide a fund for the redemption of principal or payment of interest
   type of:

   furnish, provide, render, supply

   give something useful or necessary to
6. verb

   accumulate a fund for the discharge of a recurrent liability
   “fund a medical care plan”

   type of:

   accumulate, amass, collect, compile, hoard, pile up, roll up

   get or gather together
7. noun

   a financial institution that sells shares to individuals and invests in securities issued by other companies
   synonyms: investment company, investment firm, investment trust

   types:

   hedge fund, hedgefund

   a flexible investment company for a small number of large investors (usually the minimum investment is $1 million); can use high-risk techniques (not allowed for mutual funds) such as short-selling and heavy leveraging

   mutual fund, mutual fund company, open-end fund, open-end investment company

   a regulated investment company with a pool of assets that regularly sells and redeems its shares

   closed-end fund, closed-end investment company

   a regulated investment company that issues a fixed number of shares which are listed on a stock market

   face-amount certificate company

   a regulated investment company that pays a stated amount to certificate holders on a stated maturity date

   REIT, Real Estate Investment Trust

   an investment trust that owns and manages a pool of commercial properties and mortgages and other real estate assets; shares can be bought and sold in the stock market

   unit investment trust, unit trust

   a regulated investment company consisting of professional managers who issue redeemable securities representing a portfolio of many different securities

   fixed investment trust, nondiscretionary trust

   an investment trust that can buy only those securities listed when the trust was organized

   index fund

   a mutual fund that invests in the stocks that are the basis of a well-known stock or bond index

   type of:

   nondepository financial institution

   a financial institution that funds their investment activities from the sale of securities or insurance
8. verb

   convert (short-term floating debt) into long-term debt that bears fixed interest and is represented by bonds
   type of:

   finance

   obtain or provide money for
9. verb

   invest money in government securities
   type of:

   commit, invest, place, put

   make an investment