au fond

[ oh fawn ]

adverbFrench.
  1. at bottom or to the bottom; basically; in reality; fundamentally.

Origin of au fond

1
First recorded in 1780–90

Words Nearby au fond

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use au fond in a sentence

  • Yet these too, with all their sympathy and suavity and sweet reasonableness, are policemen au fond.

  • Title story, waste verbiage at the start, ridiculous to put all this camouflage over something au fond merely an idea.

    Instigations | Ezra Pound
  • He expressed it as his intention to attack most vigorously (au fond), and asked for my best support, which I promised to give.

    1914 | John French, Viscount of Ypres
  • Joffre was full of enthusiasm, and very hopeful of success if we all fulfilled our respective rles and attacked au fond.

    1914 | John French, Viscount of Ypres
  • Quant au fond de la question, however, I am still in doubt and wait for the light of further reflexion to settle my opinion.

British Dictionary definitions for au fond

au fond

/ French (o fɔ̃) /


adverb
  1. fundamentally; essentially

Origin of au fond

1
literally: at the bottom

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012