Webster's English Dictionary

base

1. base \'ba-s\ \'ba--s*z\ \'ba-st\ n or bas.es [ME, fr. MF, fr. L basis, 
   fr. Gk, step, base, fr. bainein to go -] pl  more at COME 1a: the bottom of 
   something considered as its support : FOUNDATION  1a1: the lower part of a 
   wall, pier, or column considered as a separate arc hitectural feature 1a2: 
   the lower part of a complete architectural design  1c: that part of a 
   bodily organ by which it is attached to another more cen tral structure of 
   the organism 2a: a main ingredient  2b: a supporting or carrying ingredient 
   (as of a medicine)  3: the fundamental part of something : GROUNDWORK  4: 
   the lower part of a heraldic field  5a: the point or line from which a 
   start is made in an action or undertakin g 5b: a line in a survey which 
   serves as the origin for computations  5c: the locality or the 
   installations on which a military force relies for  supplies or from which 
   it initiates operations 5d: the number with reference to which a set of 
   numbers or a mathematical t able is constructed 5e: ROOT  6a: the starting 
   place or goal in various games  6b: any one of the four stations at the 
   corners of a baseball infield  7: any of various typically water-soluble 
   and acrid or brackish tasting com pounds capable of reacting with an acid 
   to form a salt that are molecules or ions able to take up a proton from an 
   acid or substances able to give up an unshared pair of electrons to an 
   acidSE implies a broad and solid bottom by which something is held up or 
   stabilized; BASIS carries the same meaning but applies to immaterial things 
   {basis of belief}; FOUNDATION implies something laid down or constructed to 
   serve as a base or basis; GROUND applies to a material, a substance, a 
   surface upon which something is built or GROUNDWORK equals FOUNDATION but 
   applies chiefly to immaterial things {lay a groundwork for negotiations} 1: 
   completely or absurdly mistaken  2: UNAWARES  - based aj SYN syn BASIS, 
   FOUNDATION, GROUND, GROUNDWORK: BA 
2. base vt 1: to make, form, or serve as a base for  2: to find a base or 
   basis for : ESTABLISH - usu. used with o n or upon
3. base aj : constituting or serving as a base 
4. base aj [ME bas, fr. MF, fr. ML bassus short, low] archaic  1: of little 
   height  obs  2: low in place or position  obs  3: BASS  archaic  4: 
   BASEBORN  5a: resembling a villein : SERVILE {a ~ tenant}  5b: held by 
   villenage {~ tenure}  6: of inferior quality : DEBASED : as  6a: alloyed 
   with or made of inferior metal  of language  6b: not classical {~ Latin}  
   7: CONTEMPTIBLE, IGNOBLE  8: lacking higher values : DEGRADING  9: of 
   comparatively little value st greed, grossness, cowardice, cruelty, 
   treachery; LOW implies falling below ordinary human standards of dignity, 
   taste, fairness, morality; VILE suggests filth or extreme depravity - 
   base.ly av SYN syn LOW, VILE: BASE stresses the ignoble and may sugge 
5. base  obs var of 3BASS