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.
• 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.