Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web
Related Searches
Synonyms
Nearby Words

baseness

 - 7 dictionary results

base

2  [beys] adjective, bas⋅er, bas⋅est, noun
Use baseness in a Sentence
–adjective
1. morally low; without estimable personal qualities; dishonorable; meanspirited; selfish; cowardly.
2. of little or no value; worthless: hastily composed of base materials.
3. debased or counterfeit: an attempt to eliminate the base coinage.
4. characteristic of or befitting an inferior person or thing.
5. of illegitimate birth.
6. not classical or refined: base language.
7. Old English Law. held by tenure less than freehold in return for a service viewed as somewhat demeaning to the tenant.
8. Archaic.
a. of humble origin or station.
b. of small height.
c. low in place, position, or degree: base servitude.
9. Obsolete. deep or grave in sound; bass: the base tones of a piano.
–noun
10. Music Obsolete. bass 1 (defs. 3, 4).
Origin:
1350–1400; ME bas < OF < LL bassus low, short, perh. of Oscan orig.

Related forms:
basely, adverb
baseness, noun

Synonyms:
1. despicable, contemptible. See mean 2 . 2. poor, inferior, cheap, tawdry. 3. fake, spurious. 4. servile, ignoble, abject, slavish, menial.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To baseness
base 2   (bās)   
adj.   bas·er, bas·est

    1. Having or showing a contemptible, mean-spirited, or selfish lack of human decency. See Synonyms at mean2.

    2. Devoid of high values or ethics: a base, degrading way of life.

    3. Inferior in value or quality.

  2. Containing inferior substances: a base metal.

  3. Archaic Of low birth, rank, or position.

  4. Obsolete Short in stature.

n.   Obsolete
A bass singer or voice.

[Middle English bas, low, from Old French, from Medieval Latin bassus.]
base'ly adv., base'ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Cultural Dictionary

base

Any of a number of bitter-tasting, caustic materials. Technically, a material that produces negative ions in solution. A base is the opposite of an acid and has a pH of 7 to 14. A given amount of a base added to the same amount of an acid neutralizes the acid; water and a salt are produced. Alkalis are bases; ammonia is a common base.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Slang Dictionary
base

  1. mod.
    rude; gross. (California.) : You are so, like, base!
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

base  (n.)
c.1325, from O.Fr. bas, from L. basis "foundation," from Gk. basis "step, pedestal," from bainein "to step" (see come). The military sense is from 1860. The chemical sense (1810) was introduced in Fr. 1754 by Fr. chemist Guillaume-François Rouelle (1703-70). The verb meaning "to place on a foundation" is from 1841.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: base
Pronunciation: 'bAs
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural bas·es /'bA-s&z/
1 : thatportion of a bodily organ or part by which it is attached to another more central structure of the organism base of the thumb>
2 a : the usually inactiveingredient of a preparation serving as the vehicle for the active medicinal preparation base of an ointment> b : the chief active ingredient of a preparationcalled also basis
3 a : any of various typically water-soluble and bitter tasting compounds that in solution have a pH greater than 7, are capable of reacting with an acidto form a salt, and are molecules or ions able to take up a proton from an acid or are substances able to give up an unshared pair of electrons to an acid —compare ALKALI b : any of the five purine or pyrimidine bases of DNA and RNA that include cytosine, guanine, adenine,thymine, and uracil
4 : FREEBASE —based /'bAst/ adjective
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Cite This Source
Medical Dictionary

base (bās)
n.

  1. The part of an organ nearest its point of attachment.

  2. A fundamental ingredient; a chief constituent of a mixture.

  3. Any of a large class of compounds, including the hydroxides and oxides of metals, having a bitter taste, a slippery solution, the capacity to turn litmus blue, and to react with acids to form salts.

  4. A molecular or ionic substance capable of combining with a proton to form a new substance. Also called Brønsted base.

  5. A nitrogen-containing organic compound that combines in such a manner.

  6. A substance that provides a pair of electrons for a covalent bond with an acid.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see baseness on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us:
Partner Sites:
Ask AnswersEviteExpediaHotelsHotwireLife123LiveDailyMy Way