Etimology
From Middle English base, bas, baas, from Old French base, from Latin basis, from Ancient Greek βάσις (básis). Doublet of basis.
noun
base (countable and uncountable, plural bases)
Something from which other things extend; a foundation.
The starting point of a logical deduction or thought; basis.
A permanent structure for housing military personnel and material.
The place where decisions for an organization are made; headquarters.
(cooking, painting, pharmacy) A basic but essential component or ingredient.
A substance used as a mordant in dyeing.
(cosmetics) Foundation: a cosmetic cream to make the face appear uniform.
(chemistry) Any of a class of generally water-soluble compounds that turn red litmus blue and react with acids to form salts.
Important areas in games and sports.
(architecture) The lowermost part of a column, between the shaft and the pedestal or pavement.
(biology, biochemistry) A nucleotide's nucleobase in the context of a DNA or RNA biopolymer.
(botany) The end of a leaf, petal or similar organ where it is attached to its support.
(electronics) The name of the controlling terminal of a bipolar transistor (BJT).
(geometry) The lowest side of a triangle or other polygon, or the lowest face of a cone, pyramid or other polyhedron laid flat.
(heraldry) The lowest third of a shield (or field), or an ordinary occupying this space, the champagne. (Compare terrace..)
(mathematics) A number raised to the power of an exponent.
(mathematics) Synonym of radix.
(topology) The set of sets from which a topology is generated.
(topology) A topological space, looked at in relation to one of its covering spaces, fibrations, or bundles.
(group theory) A sequence of elements not jointly stabilized by any nontrivial group element.
(acrobatics, cheerleading) In hand-to-hand balance, the person who supports the flyer; the person that remains in contact with the ground.
(linguistics) A morpheme (or morphemes) that serves as a basic foundation on which affixes can be attached.
(music) Dated form of bass.
(military, historical) The smallest kind of cannon.
(archaic) The housing of a horse.
(historical, sometimes in the plural) A kind of skirt (often of velvet or brocade, but sometimes of mail or other armour) which hung from the middle to about the knees, or lower.
(obsolete) The lower part of a robe or petticoat.
(obsolete) An apron.
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.
(politics) A group of voters who almost always support a single party's candidates for elected office.
(Marxism) The forces and relations of production that produce the necessities and amenities of life.
A material that holds paint or other materials together; a binder.
(aviation) Short for base leg.
(slang, uncountable) freebase cocaine
Examples
Nanny Broome was looking up at the outer wall. Just under the ceiling there were three lunette windows, heavily barred and blacked out in the normal way by centuries of grime. Their bases were on a level with the pavement outside, a narrow way which was several feet lower than the road behind the house.
The logarithm to base 2 of 8 is 3.
The trebles squeak for fear, the bases roar.
Coordinate term: lamboys
The base , as opposed to the practical skirt of the tonlet armour, is an affectation in imitation of the civilian fabric garment of the period and may well have been inspired by a similar feature on Maximilian's gift armour.
Both knee-length bases are made from black velvet [...] There was a second type of metal skirt that could be worn with armour: the tonlet. [...] Unlike the base, however, the tonlet did not have a textile counterpart. [...]
bakers in their linen bases
Use the globe he inhabits as a base wherewith to measure the magnitude and distance of the sun and planets.
Synonyms: electoral base, political base
Synonym: substructure
Antonym: superstructure
TYLER LENNON: Ten grand a week we were clearing: base, white, meth, weed, anything. I can get you anything to get you high.
Related words
synonyms
(chemical compound that will neutralize an acid): alkali
antonyms
(chemical compound that will neutralize an alkali): acid
(end of a leaf): apex
hyponyms
air base
code base
codebase
debase
first base
freebase
home base
knowledge base
military base
moonbase
naval base
power base
second base
subbase
surbase
third base
verb
base (third-person singular simple present bases, present participle basing, simple past and past participle based)
(transitive) To give as its foundation or starting point; to lay the foundation of.
(transitive) To be located (at a particular place).
(acrobatics, cheerleading) To act as a base; to be the person supporting the flyer.
(slang) To freebase.
Examples
Firstly, I continue to base most species treatments on personally collected material, rather than on herbarium plants.
Apart from time taken out during radio- and chemotherapy, Maurs continued to participate in POW. She would base a flyer in a double balance and make the audience laugh with her clowning antics for two more shows.
You know he started to base at a hell of a pace / And now it's a disgrace, he's got the pipe in his face
Etimology
From Middle English base, bas, from Old French bas, from Late Latin bassus (“low”). Cognate with Spanish bajo, Italian basso and base.
adjective
base (comparative baser or more base, superlative basest or most base)
(obsolete) Low in height; short.
Low in place or position.
(obsolete) Of low value or degree.
(archaic) Of low social standing or rank; vulgar, common.
Morally reprehensible, immoral; cowardly.
(now rare) Inferior; unworthy, of poor quality.
(of a metal) Not considered precious or noble.
Alloyed with inferior metal; debased.
(obsolete) Of illegitimate birth; bastard.
Not classical or correct.
Obsolete form of bass.
(law) Not held by honourable service.
Examples
The cedar stoops not to the base shrub's foot.
I see thy glory like a shooting star / Fall to the base earth from the firmament.
If thou livest in paine and sorrow, thy base courage is the cause of it, To die there wanteth but will.
UUhat meanes the mightie Turkiſh EmperorTo talke with one ſo baſe as Tamburlaine?
Wherefore should I / Stand in the plague of custome, and permit / The curiosity of Nations, to deprive me? For that I am some twelve, or fourteen Moonshines / Lag of a Brother? Why Bastard? Wherefore base? / When my Dimensions are as well compact, My minde as generous, and my shape as true / As honest madams issue? Why brand they us / With Base? With basenes Bastardie? Base, Base?
a peasant and base swain
a cruel act of a base and a cowardish mind
base ingratitude
“Mrs. Yule's chagrin and horror at what she called her son's base ingratitude knew no bounds ; at first it was even thought that she would never get over it. […]”
'Like this horrible film.''Horrible?' Lenina was genuinely astonished. 'But I thought it was lovely.''It was base,' he said indignantly, 'it was ignoble.'
base coin
base bullion
Why bastard? Wherefore base?
base LatinThe spelling has been modernized.
The spelling has been modernized.
the base tone of a violin
A base estate is one held by services not honourable, or held by villenage. Such a tenure is called base, or low, and the tenant is a base tenant.
Related words
synonyms
(low, short): little, petite, short
(of position): low-lying, lowland
(of value): See Thesaurus:insignificant
(vulgar, common): common, low-born, lowly, plebeian, vulgar
(immoral): See Thesaurus:despicable or Thesaurus:evil
(of inferior quality): See Thesaurus:low-quality
(describing metals):
(of illegitimate birth): See Thesaurus:illegitimate
(not classical):
(not held by honourable service):
antonyms
likeable
desirable
admirable
noble
Etimology
Probably a specific use of Etymology 1, above; perhaps also a development of the plural of bar.
noun
base (uncountable)
(now chiefly US, historical) The game of prisoners' bars. [from 15th c.]
Examples
to run the country base
So ran they all, as they had bene at bace, / They being chased that did others chase.
Etimology
Variant forms.
noun
base
Alternative form of BASE