Definition of Base

  • (a.) Of little, or less than the usual, height; of low growth; as, base shrubs.
  • (a.) Low in place or position.
  • (a.) Of humble birth; or low degree; lowly; mean.
  • (a.) Illegitimate by birth; bastard.
  • (a.) Of little comparative value, as metal inferior to gold and silver, the precious metals.
  • (a.) Alloyed with inferior metal; debased; as, base coin; base bullion.
  • (a.) Morally low. Hence: Low-minded; unworthy; without dignity of sentiment; ignoble; mean; illiberal; menial; as, a base fellow; base motives; base occupations.
  • (a.) Not classical or correct.
  • (a.) Deep or grave in sound; as, the base tone of a violin.
  • (a.) Not held by honorable service; as, a base estate, one held by services not honorable; held by villenage. Such a tenure is called base, or low, and the tenant, a base tenant.
  • (n.) The bottom of anything, considered as its support, or that on which something rests for support; the foundation; as, the base of a statue.
  • (n.) Fig.: The fundamental or essential part of a thing; the essential principle; a groundwork.
  • (n.) The lower part of a wall, pier, or column, when treated as a separate feature, usually in projection, or especially ornamented.
  • (n.) The lower part of a complete architectural design, as of a monument; also, the lower part of any elaborate piece of furniture or decoration.
  • (n.) That extremity of a leaf, fruit, etc., at which it is attached to its support.
  • (n.) The positive, or non-acid component of a salt; a substance which, combined with an acid, neutralizes the latter and forms a salt; -- applied also to the hydroxides of the positive elements or radicals, and to certain organic bodies resembling them in their property of forming salts with acids.
  • (n.) The chief ingredient in a compound.
  • (n.) A substance used as a mordant.
  • (n.) The exterior side of the polygon, or that imaginary line which connects the salient angles of two adjacent bastions.
  • (n.) The line or surface constituting that part of a figure on which it is supposed to stand.
  • (n.) The number from which a mathematical table is constructed; as, the base of a system of logarithms.
  • (n.) A low, or deep, sound. (Mus.) (a) The lowest part; the deepest male voice. (b) One who sings, or the instrument which plays, base.
  • (n.) A place or tract of country, protected by fortifications, or by natural advantages, from which the operations of an army proceed, forward movements are made, supplies are furnished, etc.
  • (n.) The smallest kind of cannon.
  • (n.) That part of an organ by which it is attached to another more central organ.
  • (n.) The basal plane of a crystal.
  • (n.) The ground mass of a rock, especially if not distinctly crystalline.
  • (n.) The lower part of the field. See Escutcheon.
  • (n.) The housing of a horse.
  • (n.) A kind of skirt ( often of velvet or brocade, but sometimes of mailed armor) which hung from the middle to about the knees, or lower.
  • (n.) The lower part of a robe or petticoat.
  • (n.) An apron.
  • (n.) The point or line from which a start is made; a starting place or a goal in various games.
  • (n.) A line in a survey which, being accurately determined in length and position, serves as the origin from which to compute the distances and positions of any points or objects connected with it by a system of triangles.
  • (n.) A rustic play; -- called also prisoner's base, prison base, or bars.
  • (n.) Any one of the four bounds which mark the circuit of the infield.
  • (n.) To put on a base or basis; to lay the foundation of; to found, as an argument or conclusion; -- used with on or upon.
  • (a.) To abase; to let, or cast, down; to lower.
  • (a.) To reduce the value of; to debase.

Antonyms of Base


No Antonyms Found.

Homophones of Base


No Homophones Found.