figurative and in extended use. A place, part, activity, quality, etc., from which something springs or arises; a source or origin (of…

A quality, institution, place, etc., that produces, protects, nurtures, or sustains people, ideas, etc. A quality, condition, event, etc., that gives…

Point of origin; beginning; esp. in ord and end.

figurative and in figurative contexts. A source or origin providing a constant or abundant supply of something. Chiefly with of. Cf. headspring, n.…

Something which gives rise to or produces another thing. Also: something which protects or nurtures another thing. Cf. parent, n. 3, child, n. 14b.

figurative and in figurative contexts: the source or origin of something. Cf. fountainhead, n. 2, wellhead, n. 2.

A beginning.

The source or headspring of a stream or river; the place at which such a spring emerges from the ground. Cf. headspring, n. 1, wellhead, n. 1.

That from which something grows or is derived; a source, origin, or cause.

figurative. Origin, source; lineage, stock. Obsolete.

That in which anything has its rise, or in which its origin is embodied; origin, source, fount.

= fountainhead, n. (in either sense); cf. headspring, n.

figurative. The chief or prime cause of something of a non-material or abstract character; the quarter whence something of this kind originates.

That from which something originates or is derived; a source, an origin; the root (of a word, etc.). Now chiefly Philosophy and Theology.

Origin, beginning, birth; the first appearance or occurrence (of something).

An origin, a source; spec. the origin or source of a stream or river. Now rare.

figurative. A spring, source, ‘well’. (Often in plural.)

A source, an origin. Obsolete.

figurative and in extended use: the creation, beginning, or origin of something.

A root cause, a source (cf. root, n.1 7a 7b). Also: a root; spec. a piece of ginger root (cf. race, n.2).

Something regarded as a source, beginning, or origin. Chiefly with of. Cf. wellspring, n. 2.

figurative and in figurative contexts. With of. The chief source of something; the quarter from which something originates. Cf. wellspring, n. 2.

A piece of ground in which plants are sown (or raised from cuttings, etc.) to be afterwards transplanted; a seed-plot. Obsolete.

Coming into existence, commencement, beginning (in reference to cause or source); rise, origin.

figurative. A source or fount of a particular quality, virtue, etc.

Source.

A primeval, original, or fundamental thing; a beginning or origin; a first principle.

Origin, birth. Obsolete.

figurative. A primary source or origin of something. Cf. fountainhead, n. 2, head, n.1 38b.

That from which anything emanates or originates; a spring, fountain, source, or original. Obsolete.

a reservoir; = 2; also figurative.

figurative.

Chiefly with of. The source or origin of a particular quality, action, state of affairs, etc. Cf. sense 2b.

Beginning, commencement; origin, source; first principle, element; fundamental truth; = principle, n. (in various senses). Now rare.

In extended use: a place where something originates or is generated; a source of invention or fabrication; a prolific source or fount of something.

An origin, a source. Cf. principle, n. 1. Obsolete.

A point from which something proceeds, emanates, originates, or develops; a nucleus, a source. See also phrases 1x.

= fountainhead, n. (in either sense).

In extended use: the source or origin of something.

An origin, a source; a beginning; a start. Frequently in to haveor take its rise: to have its origins, to begin.

figurative. The source or origin of something.

A spring, source, fountain, n.

That from which something springs or is derived; a source, cause, origin.

A straight root, of circular section, thick at the top, and tapering to a point, growing directly downwards from the stem and forming the centre…

That from which anything originates, or is derived; source of being or existence; starting point. Now frequently in plural.

figurative. The chief or prime source of anything; the quarter whence anything originates; esp. an original source of information, news, etc.

Source, origin; that in which anything originates. Now rare.

A person or personification regarded as a source, beginning, or origin. Chiefly with of. Now somewhat rare.

An overflowing source, a fountainhead.

A source, an origin. Obsolete.

A thing from which something else is derived; a foundation, a basis. (In quots. 1806, 1858, a primitive or primary colour.) Obsolete.

A person who or thing which is first in order, rank, or importance; anything from which something else arises or is derived; a first principle…

‘A spring which comes into action only after heavy rains’ (Webster). Also figurative.

Of things: Origin, source. Obsolete.

Upspring, origin. Obsolete. rare.

The source or original from which something is derived; a forebear or progenitor (chiefly figurative).

figurative. A source or origin of something. Obsolete.

a spot in a bog where a spring rises to the surface; a small pool of spring-water; (figurative) a source.

a firstborn child; also (in singular or plural) the privileges of the firstborn child; also figurative.

The origin, background, or historical development of something.

A literary source; the source from which a concept, piece of information, etc., derives.