abasement

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

to reduce or lower, as in rank, office, reputation, or estimation; humble; degrade.

Archaic. to lower; put or bring down: He abased his head.

Origin:
1470–80; a-⁵ + base²; replacing late Middle English abassen, equivalent to a-⁵ + bas base²; replacing Middle English abaissen, abe(i)sen < Anglo-French abesser, abaisser, Old French abaissier, equivalent + a- a-⁵ + -baissier < Vulgar Latin *bassiare, verbal derivative of Late Latin bassus; see base²

Related forms

a·base·ment, noun

a·bas·er, noun

un·a·bas·ing, adjective

Synonyms
1. humiliate, dishonor, defame, belittle.

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Abasement is always a great word to know.

So is doohickey. Does it mean:

a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.

an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.

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World English Dictionary

abase (əˈbeɪs)

—vb
1.	to humble or belittle (oneself, etc)
2.	to lower or reduce, as in rank or estimation

[C15: abessen, from Old French abaissier to make low. See base²]

a'basement

—n

abase (əˈbeɪs)

—vb
1.	to humble or belittle (oneself, etc)
2.	to lower or reduce, as in rank or estimation

[C15: abessen, from Old French abaissier to make low. See base²]

a'basement

—n

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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

abase

late 14c., abaishen, from O.Fr. abaissier "diminish, make lower in value or status," from V.L. *ad bassiare "bring lower," from L.L. bassus "thick, fat, low;" from the same source as base (adj.) and altered in Eng. by influence of it, which made it an exception to the rule

that O.Fr. verbs with stem -iss- enter English as -ish.

abasement

1560s, "action of lowering in rank," from abase + -ment; meaning "condition of being abased" is from 1610s.

Matching Quote

"At last, on Monday the 16th of May, when I was sitting in Mr. Davies's back-parlour, after having drunk tea with him and Mrs. Davies, Johnson unexpectedly came into the shop; and Mr. Davies having perceived him through the glass-door in the room in which we were sitting, advancing towards us,—he announced his aweful approach to me, somewhat in the manner of an actor in the part of Horatio, when he addresses Hamlet on the appearance of his father's ghost, "Look, my Lord, it comes" ... Mr. Davies mentioned my name, and respectfully introduced me to him. I was much agitated; and recollecting his prejudice against the Scotch, of which I had heard much, I said to Davies, "Don't tell where I come from."M"From Scotland," cried Davies roguishly. "Mr. Johnson, (said I) I do indeed come from Scotland, but I cannot help it." I am willing to flatter myself that I meant this as light pleasantry to sooth and conciliate him, and not as an humiliating abasement at the expense of my country.... [W]ith that quickness of wit for which he was so remarkable, he seized the expression "come from Scotland," which I used in the sense of being of that country, and, as if I had said that I had come away from it, or left it, retorted, "That, Sir, I find, is what a very great many of your countrymen cannot help.""

-James Boswell

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