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baseness - 3 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.
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Baseness

Base"ness\, n. The quality or condition of being base; degradation; vileness.

I once did hold it a baseness to write fair. --Shak.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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