Resting on real facts or sound thinking, so it is reasonable to hold. It is used about the things inside your head — a fear, a suspicion, a belief, a worry, a complaint, a hope.

Resting on站在 real facts or sound thinking真實的事實或健全的思考上， so所以 it is reasonable to hold抱著它是合理的。 It它 is used about用來說 inside your head你腦袋裡 the things的那些東西—— a fear恐懼、 a suspicion懷疑、 a belief相信、 a worry擔心、 a complaint抱怨、 a hope希望。

Saying someone's fear is well-founded is a way of saying 'you are right to feel that; there is something real behind it.' The picture inside the word is a building: a foundation is the base under a house, and a well-founded belief has solid ground under it, while a groundless one is floating on nothing. English keeps that picture alive in the opposite words too — unfounded, groundless, baseless.

Saying說 someone's fear is well-founded某人的恐懼是有根據的， is a way of saying等於是在說 'you are right to feel that; there is something real behind it.'「你這樣感覺是對的；它背後有真實的東西。」 The picture inside the word這個字裡面的畫面 is a building是一棟建築： a foundationfoundation under a house是房子底下 is the base的地基， and a well-founded belief而一個 well-founded 的相信 has solid ground under it底下有紮實的地， while a groundless one而一個 groundless 的 is floating on nothing則飄在空無之上。 English英文 in the opposite words too在相反詞裡也 keeps that picture alive讓這個畫面活著—— unfounded, groundless, baselessunfounded、groundless、baseless。

The word is formal, and it appears most in news, law and careful writing; in speech people are more likely to say 'she had good reason to worry'.

The word這個字 is formal是正式的， and it appears most最常出現 in news, law and careful writing在新聞、法律和謹慎的書面裡； in speech口語裡 people are more likely to say人們比較會說 'she had good reason to worry'她有很好的理由擔心。

One useful thing for students: it does not mean the belief is proved true. It means there was enough evidence to make holding it sensible. A well-founded fear can still turn out to be about nothing.

for students對學生 One useful thing有用的一點： it它 does not mean的意思不是 the belief is proved true那個相信已被證明為真。 It means它的意思是 there was enough evidence當時的證據已經足夠， to make holding it sensible足以讓「抱著它」是明智的。 A well-founded fear一個有根據的恐懼 can still仍然可能 turn out to be about nothing最後發現什麼事也沒有。