Base

Of little, or less than the usual, height; of low growth; as, base shrubs.

Low in place or position.

Of humble birth; or low degree; lowly; mean.

Illegitimate by birth; bastard.

Of little comparative value, as metal inferior to gold and silver, the precious metals.

Alloyed with inferior metal; debased; as, base coin; base bullion.

Morally low. Hence: Low-minded; unworthy; without dignity of sentiment; ignoble; mean; illiberal; menial; as, a base fellow; base motives; base occupations.

Not classical or correct.

Deep or grave in sound; as, the base tone of a violin.

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.

The bottom of anything, considered as its support, or that on which something rests for support; the foundation; as, the base of a statue.

Fig.: The fundamental or essential part of a thing; the essential principle; a groundwork.

The lower part of a wall, pier, or column, when treated as a separate feature, usually in projection, or especially ornamented.

The lower part of a complete architectural design, as of a monument; also, the lower part of any elaborate piece of furniture or decoration.

That extremity of a leaf, fruit, etc., at which it is attached to its support.

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.

The chief ingredient in a compound.

A substance used as a mordant.

The exterior side of the polygon, or that imaginary line which connects the salient angles of two adjacent bastions.

The line or surface constituting that part of a figure on which it is supposed to stand.

The number from which a mathematical table is constructed; as, the base of a system of logarithms.

A low, or deep, sound. (Mus.) (a) The lowest part; the deepest male voice. (b) One who sings, or the instrument which plays, base.

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.

The smallest kind of cannon.

That part of an organ by which it is attached to another more central organ.

The basal plane of a crystal.

The ground mass of a rock, especially if not distinctly crystalline.

The lower part of the field. See Escutcheon.

The housing of a horse.

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.

The lower part of a robe or petticoat.

An apron.

The point or line from which a start is made; a starting place or a goal in various games.

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.

A rustic play; -- called also prisoner's base, prison base, or bars.

Any one of the four bounds which mark the circuit of the infield.

To put on a base or basis; to lay the foundation of; to found, as an argument or conclusion; -- used with on or upon.

To abase; to let, or cast, down; to lower.

To reduce the value of; to debase.