| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. |
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| base2 |
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| PRONUNCIATION: |  b s |
| ADJECTIVE: | Inflected forms: bas·er, bas·est
1a. Having or showing a contemptible, mean-spirited, or selfish lack of human decency. See synonyms at mean2. b. Devoid of high values or ethics: a base, degrading way of life. c. 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. | | NOUN: | Obsolete A bass singer or voice. | | ETYMOLOGY: | Middle English bas, low, from Old French, from Medieval Latin bassus. | | OTHER FORMS: | base ly —ADVERB
baseness —NOUN
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| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
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