See Also: Base(money)
Base in DNA(health)
base(4)(dictionary)
base(3)(dictionary)
base(2)(dictionary)
base(1)(dictionary)
E-base(health)
BASE(law)
Base(health)
Base(medicine)

base(1) (iou)



base adjective. LME.
[Old & mod. French bas from medieval Latin bassus, found in classical Latin as a cognomen.]
Low; of small height. arch. LME.
b. In plant-names: of low growth. L16.
Low-lying, esp. topographically or geographically. Now rare or obsolete. LME.
Of a sound: low, not loud; deep, bass. Now rare or obsolete. LME.
Of inferior quality, of little value; mean, poor, shabby, worthless; (of language) debased, not classical. LME.
b. Of coin etc.: alloyed, counterfeit. E16.
Law. Of feudal service, tenure, etc.: involving villeinage etc. rather than military service (Hist.); later (of tenure etc.), held in fee simple subject to some qualification or limitation. LME.
Low in the social scale, plebeian; menial, degrading. arch. L15.
Reprehensibly cowardly, selfish, or mean; despicable. M16.
W. Raleigh A most base piece of flatterie. H. Belloc A few base contemporaries no older than ourselves, but cads. B. Russell He has thoughts and feelings and impulses which may be wise or foolish, noble or base. J. Braine Underneath the rough exterior their hearts were as base as anyone's.
Low in the natural scale. arch. M16.
Shakespeare As You Like It Civet is of a baser birth than tarthe very uncleanly flux of a cat.
Illegitimate. obsolete exc. in baseborn below. L16.
Special collocations & comb.: baseborn adjective of low birth or (arch.) origin; illegitimate. base metal: not classified as noble or precious. base-minded adjective having a base mind, mean, despicable. base relief: see BAS-RELIEF.
basely adverb L15.
baseness noun LME.