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base

[ beys ]

/ beɪs /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR base ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the bottom support of anything; that on which a thing stands or rests: a metal base for the table.

a fundamental principle or groundwork; foundation; basis: the base of needed reforms.

the bottom layer or coating, as of makeup or paint.

Architecture.

the distinctively treated portion of a column or pier below the shaft or shafts.
the distinctively treated lowermost portion of any construction, as a monument, exterior wall, etc.

Botany, Zoology.

the part of an organ nearest its point of attachment.
the point of attachment.

the principal element or ingredient of anything, considered as its fundamental part: face cream with a lanolin base; paint with a lead base.

that from which a commencement, as of action or reckoning, is made; a starting point or point of departure.

the main supporters or fans of a political candidate, celebrity, company, etc.: Her proposed policies are calculated to appeal to her base.

Baseball.

any of the four corners of the diamond, especially first, second, or third base.Compare home plate.
a square canvas sack containing sawdust or some other light material, for marking first, second, or third base.

a starting line or point for runners, racing cars, etc.

(in hockey and other games) the goal.

Military.

a fortified or more or less protected area or place from which the operations of an army or an air force proceed.
a supply installation for a large military force.

Geometry. the line or surface forming the part of a figure that is most nearly horizontal or on which it is supposed to stand.

Mathematics.

the number that serves as a starting point for a logarithmic or other numerical system.
a collection of subsets of a topological space having the property that every open set in the given topology can be written as the union of sets of the collection.
a collection of neighborhoods of a point such that every neighborhood of the point contains one from the collection.
a collection of sets of a given filter such that every set in the filter is contained in some set in the collection.

Also called base line. Surveying. See under triangulation (def. 1).

Painting.

vehicle (def. 10).
Also called carrier. inert matter, used in the preparation of lakes, onto which a coloring compound is precipitated.

Photography. a thin, flexible layer of cellulose triacetate or similar material that holds the light-sensitive film emulsion and other coatings, especially on motion-picture film.

Chemistry.

a compound that reacts with an acid to form a salt, as ammonia, calcium hydroxide, or certain nitrogen-containing organic compounds.
the hydroxide of a metal or of an electropositive element or group.
a group or molecule that takes up or accepts protons.
a molecule or ion containing an atom with a free pair of electrons that can be donated to an acid; an electron-pair donor.
any of the purine and pyrimidine compounds found in nucleic acids: the purines adenine and guanine and the pyrimidines cytosine, thymine, and uracil.

Grammar. the part of a complex word, consisting of one or more morphemes, to which derivational or inflectional affixes may be added, as want in unwanted or biolog- in biological.Compare root¹ (def. 12), stem¹ (def. 16).

Linguistics. the component of a generative grammar containing the lexicon and phrase-structure rules that generate the deep structure of sentences.

Electronics.

an electrode or terminal on a transistor other than the emitter or collector electrodes or terminals.
the part of an incandescent lamp or electron tube that includes the terminals for making electrical connection to a circuit or power supply.

Stock Exchange. the level at which a security ceases a decline in price.

Heraldry. the lower part of an escutcheon.

bases, Armor. a tonlet formed of two shaped steel plates assembled side by side.

Jewelry. pavilion (def. 6).

in base, Heraldry. in the lower part of an escutcheon.

adjective

serving as or forming a base: The walls will need a base coat and two finishing coats.

verb (used with object), based, bas·ing.

to make or form a base or foundation for.

to establish, as a fact or conclusion (usually followed by on or upon): He based his assumption of her guilt on the fact that she had no alibi.

to place or establish on a base or basis; ground; found (usually followed by on or upon): Our plan is based on a rising economy.

to station, place, or situate (usually followed by at or on): He is based at Fort Benning. The squadron is based on a carrier.

verb (used without object), based, bas·ing.

to have a basis; be based (usually followed by on or upon): Fluctuating prices usually base on a fickle public's demand.

to have or maintain a base: I believe they had based on Greenland at one time.

QUIZZES

DON’T VACILLATE! VANQUISH THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ!

It’d be a real faux pas to miss this quiz on the words from August 3–9, 2020!

Question 1 of 7

What does “vacillate” mean?

to waver in mind or opinion; be indecisive or irresolute.

to cause to be empty or unoccupied.

to assent tacitly; agree; consent.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms for base

get to first base. first base (def. 2).

off base,

Baseball. not touching a base: The pitcher caught him off base and, after a quick throw, he was put out by the second baseman.
Informal. badly mistaken: The police were way off base when they tried to accuse her of the theft.

on base, Baseball. having reached a base or bases: Two men are on base.

touch base with, to make contact with: They've touched base with every political group on campus.

Origin of base

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English (noun), from Middle French, from Latin basis basis

synonym study for base

1. Base, basis, foundation refer to anything upon which a structure is built and upon which it rests. Base usually refers to a literal supporting structure: the base of a statue. Basis more often refers to a figurative support: the basis of a report. Foundation implies a solid, secure understructure: the foundation of a skyscraper or a rumor.

OTHER WORDS FROM base

un·based, adjectivewell-based, adjective

Definition for base (2 of 2)

base²

[ beys ]

/ beɪs /

adjective, bas·er, bas·est.

morally low; without estimable personal qualities; dishonorable; meanspirited; selfish; cowardly.

of little or no value; worthless: hastily composed of base materials.

debased or counterfeit: an attempt to eliminate the base coinage.

characteristic of or befitting an inferior person or thing.

of illegitimate birth.

not classical or refined: base language.

Old English Law. held by tenure less than freehold in return for a service viewed as somewhat demeaning to the tenant.

Archaic.

of humble origin or station.
of small height.
low in place, position, or degree: base servitude.

Obsolete. deep or grave in sound; bass: the base tones of a piano.

noun

Music Obsolete. bass¹ (defs. 3, 4).

Origin of base

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English bas, from Old French, from Late Latin bassus “low, short,” perhaps of Oscan origin

SYNONYMS FOR base

1 despicable, contemptible.

2 poor, inferior, cheap, tawdry.

3 fake, spurious.

4 servile, ignoble, abject, slavish, menial.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR base ON THESAURUS.COM

synonym study for base

1. See mean².

OTHER WORDS FROM base

basely, adverbbaseness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for base

People watch night soaps because the genre allows them to believe in a world where people just react off their baser instincts.
‘Empire’ Review: Hip-Hop Musical Chairs with an Insane Soap Opera Twist|Judnick Mayard|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Any claims otherwise speak not to deeper understanding but to baser motives.
Rory Kennedy and the Campaign to Get Rid of Nuclear Plants|Rory Kennedy, Keven McAlester|March 14, 2011|DAILY BEAST
"You do it," magnanimously insisted Aunt Maria, who felt that the baser sex ought to be encouraged.
Overland|John William De Forest
He everywhere endeavoured to depress the nobility, and advance the baser sort of the people.
Old English Chronicles|Various

But it is time to turn again to the baser things of Lower Canada.
The Rise of Canada, from Barbarism to Wealth and Civilisation|Charles Roger
At last I lit the pipe, and no human being can feel meaner and baser than I did then.
Roughing It|Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)
There had been a variety of new fruits and spices, and samples of baser metals gathered, and these helped to complete the lading.
Christopher Columbus and How He Received and Imparted the Spirit of Discovery|Justin Winsor

British Dictionary definitions for base (1 of 2)

base¹

/ (beɪs) /

noun

the bottom or supporting part of anything

the fundamental or underlying principle or part, as of an idea, system, or organization; basis

a centre of operations, organization, or supplythe climbers made a base at 8000 feet
(as modifier)base camp

a centre from which military activities are coordinated

anything from which a process, as of measurement, action, or thought, is or may be begun; starting pointthe new discovery became the base for further research

the main ingredient of a mixtureto use rice as a base in cookery

a chemical compound that combines with an acid to form a salt and water. A solution of a base in water turns litmus paper blue, produces hydroxyl ions, and has a pH greater than 7. Bases are metal oxides or hydroxides or aminesSee also Lewis base

biochem any of the nitrogen-containing constituents of nucleic acids: adenine, thymine (in DNA), uracil (in RNA), guanine, or cytosine

a medium such as oil or water in which the pigment is dispersed in paints, inks, etc; vehicle

the inorganic material on which the dye is absorbed in lake pigments; carrier

biology

the part of an organ nearest to its point of attachment
the point of attachment of an organ or part

the bottommost layer or part of anything

architect

the lowest division of a building or structure
the lower part of a column or pier

another word for baseline (def. 2)

the lower side or face of a geometric construction

maths

the number of distinct single-digit numbers in a counting system, and so the number represented as 10 in a place-value systemthe binary system has two digits, 0 and 1, and 10 to base two represents 2 See place-value
(of a logarithm or exponential) the number whose powers are expressedsince 1000 = 10³, the logarithm of 1000 to base 10 is 3
(of a mathematical structure) a substructure from which the given system can be generated
the initial instance from which a generalization is proven by mathematical induction

Also called: base clause logic maths the initial element of a recursive definition, that defines the first element of the infinite sequence generated thereby

linguistics

a root or stem
See base component

electronics the region in a transistor between the emitter and collector

photog the glass, paper, or cellulose-ester film that supports the sensitized emulsion with which it is coated

heraldry the lower part of the shield

jewellery the quality factor used in pricing natural pearls

a starting or finishing point in any of various games

baseball any of the four corners of the diamond, which runners have to reach in order to score

the main source of a certain commodity or elementa customer base; their fan base

get to first base US and Canadian informal to accomplish the first stage in a project or a series of objectives

off base US and Canadian informal wrong or badly mistaken

touch base to make contact

verb

(tr foll by on or upon) to use as a basis (for); found (on)your criticisms are based on ignorance

(often foll by at or in) to station, post, or place (a person or oneself)

Word Origin for base

C14: from Old French, from Latin basis pedestal; see basis