Base , v. t. [See Base, a., and cf. Abase.]
1. To abase; to let,
or cast, down; to lower. [Obs.]
If any . . . based his pike.
Sir T. North.
2. To reduce the value of; to debase. [Obs.]
Metals which we can
not base.
Bacon.
Base (bās),
v. t. [imp. & p. p. Based (bāsd); p. pr. & vb. n. Basing.]
[From
Base, 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. Bacon.
Base , n. [F. base, L.
basis, fr. Gr. ba`sis a stepping, step, a base,
pedestal, fr. bai`nein to go, step, akin to E. come. Cf. Basis, and see Come.]
1. The bottom of
anything, considered as its support, or that on which something rests for support; the foundation; as, the base of a statue. "The base of mighty mountains." Prescott.
2. Fig.: The fundamental or essential part of a thing; the essential principle; a groundwork.
3. (Arch.) (a) The lower part of
a wall, pier, or column, when treated as a separate
feature, usually in projection, or especially ornamented. (b) The lower part of
a complete architectural design,
as of a monument; also, the lower part of any elaborate piece of furniture or decoration.
4. (Bot.) That extremity of a leaf, fruit, etc., at which it is
attached to its support.
5. (Chem.) 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.
6. (Pharmacy) The chief ingredient in a compound.
7. (Dyeing) A substance used as a mordant. Ure.
8. (Fort.) The exterior side of the polygon, or that imaginary line which connects the salient angles of two
adjacent bastions.
9. (Geom.) The line or surface constituting that part of a figure on which it is
supposed to stand.
10. (Math.) The number from which a
mathematical table is constructed; as, the base of a system of logarithms.
11. [See Base low.] A low,
or deep, sound. (Mus.) (a) The lowest part; the deepest male voice. (b) One who sings, or the instrument which plays, base. [Now commonly written bass.]
The trebles squeak for fear, the bases roar.
Dryden.
12. (Mil.) 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.
13.
(Mil.) The smallest kind of cannon. [Obs.]
14.
(Zoöl.) That part of an organ by which it is
attached to another more central organ.
15.
(Crystallog.) The basal plane of a crystal.
16.
(Geol.) The ground
mass of a rock, especially if not distinctly crystalline.
17.
(Her.) The lower part of
the field. See Escutcheon.
18.
The housing of a horse. [Obs.]
19.
pl. 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. [Obs.]
20. The lower part of
a robe or petticoat. [Obs.]
21.
An apron. [Obs.]
"Bakers in their linen bases." Marston.
22. The point or line
from which a start is made; a starting place or a goal in various games.
To their
appointed base they went.
Dryden.
23. (Surv.) 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. Lyman.
24. A rustic play; -- called also prisoner's base, prison base, or bars. "To run the country base."
Shak.
25. (Baseball) Any one of the four bounds which mark the circuit of the infield.
Altern base. See under Altern. -- Attic base. (Arch.) See under Attic. -- Base course. (Arch.)
(a) The first or lower course of a foundation wall, made of large
stones or a mass of concrete; -- called also foundation course.
(b) The architectural member forming the transition between the basement and the wall
above. -- Base hit (Baseball),
a hit, by
which the batsman, without any error on
the part of
his opponents, is able to reach
the first base without being put out. -- Base line. (a) A main line taken as a base, as in surveying or in military operations.
(b) A line traced round a cannon at the rear of the vent. -- Base plate, the foundation plate of heavy machinery, as of the steam engine; the bed plate. -- Base ring (Ordnance),
a projecting band of metal around the breech, connected with the body of the gun by a concave molding. H. L. Scott.
Base (bās),
a. [OE. bass, F. bas, low, fr. LL. bassus thick,
fat, short, humble; cf. L. Bassus, a proper name, and W.
bas shallow. Cf. Bass a part
in music.]
1.
Of little, or less than
the usual, height; of low growth; as, base shrubs. [Archaic] Shak.
2.
Low in place or position. [Obs.] Shak.
3. Of humble birth; or low degree; lowly; mean. [Archaic] "A peasant and
base swain." Bacon.
4. Illegitimate by birth; bastard. [Archaic]
Why
bastard? wherefore
base?
Shak.
5. Of little comparative value, as metal inferior to gold and silver, the precious metals.
6.
Alloyed with inferior
metal; debased; as, base coin; base bullion.
7. Morally low. Hence: Low-minded; unworthy; without dignity of sentiment; ignoble; mean; illiberal; menial; as, a base
fellow; base motives;
base occupations. "A
cruel act of a base
and a cowardish mind." Robynson
(More's Utopia). "Base ingratitude." Milton.
8. Not classical or correct. "Base Latin." Fuller.
9. Deep or grave
in sound; as, the base tone of a violin. [In this sense, commonly written bass.]
10. (Law) 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.
Base fee, formerly, an estate held at the will of the lord; now, a qualified fee. See note under Fee, n., 4. -- Base metal. See under Metal.
Syn. -- Dishonorable; worthless; ignoble; low-minded; infamous; sordid; degraded. -- Base,
Vile, Mean. These words, as expressing moral qualities, are here arranged in the order of
their strength, the strongest being placed first. Base marks a high degree
of moral turpitude; vile and mean denote, in different degrees, the want of what
is valuable or worthy of
esteem. What is base excites our abhorrence; what is vile provokes our disgust or indignation; what is mean awakens contempt. Base is opposed to high-minded; vile, to noble; mean, to liberal or
generous. Ingratitude is base; sycophancy is vile; undue compliances are mean.
Hear it pronounced