Webster's English Dictionary

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abase

abase \*-'ba-s\ \-'ba--sm*nt\ vt [ME abassen, fr. MF abaisser, fr. a- (fr. 
   L ad-) + (ass]umed) VL bassiare to lower archaic  1: LOWER, DEPRESS  2: 
   DEGRADE, HUMBLE  suggests losing or voluntarily yielding up dignity or 
   prestige; DEMEAN implies losing or injuring social standing by an 
   unsuitable act or association; DEBASE implies a deterioration of moral 
   standards or character; DEGRADE suggests the taking of step downward 
   sometimes in rank but more often on the road to moral degeneration; 
   HUMILIATE implies the severe wounding of one's pride and the causing of 
   deep shame - abase.ment n SYN syn DEMEAN, DEBASE, DEGRADE, HUMILIATE: ABASE